Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow
by Vilandra4
Summary: COMPLETE. Buffy and Faith's daughter is sent back in time from an apocolyptic future to save the world. (BF, SD, all other pairings are the same) Feedback welcome and encouraged.
1. The Future

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

People used to say the world was round; this was an undisputed fact, they say. Someone read it in a book once and then all of the sudden the world had changed shape. Kara didn't know too much about that, or books. She hadn't seen one in a number of years. She remembered the first one she saw was in her Granddaddy's house. He used to love books – the way they smelled, the way the paper felt. The next time she saw a book was nearly twenty years later.

She and a group of survivors were walking through the ashen snow covered fields of some farm, in what used to be Kansas, and they came upon this little house so fragile a good wind would knock it from its frame. They went in to find food, and whatever else they could use to survive, and Kara stumbled upon this dusty volume of poetry lying next to a fireplace. Even though they only carried what they could use, she tucked it in her jacket, and kept it until the end.

Kara had always considered herself lucky because she had two mommies and a daddy when she was younger - young enough to remember golden hair on one and brown on the others, but nothing else. That golden hair reminded her of the sun. When she would lie cramped up in the corner of some moldy basement or under the stars in the woods, she would think of the sun and she would remember her mommy's golden hair. Then she would think of the velvet sky at night and remember her daddy's chocolate eyes and her other mommy's raven locks.

She had some special title she forgot a long time ago. Someone once told her she was the 'last of the line', the 'final stand against all that rocked and shaped the world into the cesspool of evil it had become.' Of course, that person died shortly thereafter. Everyone did. The funny thing about the end of the world, the sun rose the next day. She was still alive; so were some other people. The problem was so were all of the demons. The survivors ran, flying through the night like ghosts of a life only remembered in songs and glances. One by one, she lost them all until she came upon the edge of the world.

She knew in that moment that the world was flat. A tiny smile lit up her face and the human still in her rejoiced at the thought of proving someone else wrong. Of course, he was long dead too. It was a smile of victory and a smile of defeat. She knew, standing on the edge of the world, that there was nothing left to run for. Dangling her legs over the precipice, she watched the demons clamoring and clawing their way over each other to try to get up the cliff side.

When she jumped, she thought there would be pain; but she'd seen enough of that to know pain wasn't anything to fear. Instead, a little voice whispered in her ear, telling her of things long forgotten, of places wiped off the maps, of a time when the world was a little simpler to live in. She seemed to fall forever and when she opened her eyes, she was staring at the velvet sky of night with the stars smiling down on her.

It was then she noticed she was lying in the dew-covered grass next to a highway. Leaping to her feet, Kara blinked away the haze that settled on her eyes. "What the hell is going on..." she wondered aloud as her gaze landed on a metal sign planted firmly in the ground that read 'Welcome to Sunnydale.'


	2. Sunnydale Year 2000

Chapter One:

The hospital was not a place Kara imagined she should like. She had never technically been in one, save the day she was born. But she clearly remembered her mother ranting and raving about death in the hospital and a cousin who had gone in and never came out. As she stood outside the automatic doors of Sunnydale General, Kara got a sinking feeling in her stomach. She was still shaken from her transportation back in time, but at least now, she understood.

"You've got to go in, yeah? Can't stand out here all bleeding day...or, night, as it were. Anyway, it all starts here," the voice of her guide called out from behind her. Kara turned to see Callum, a twitchy Englishman with a bit of a drinking problem, jogging up to her. "Walk faster why don't ya. Not all slayers you know," he grumbled.

The Powers that Be had assigned Callum the simple task of aiding Kara in her pursuit to change the fate of the world. _"Really all you have to do is keep some key events from going terribly wrong. Nothing to it."_ Callum had told her as she stood leaning against the Welcome to Sunnydale sign wondering what kind of bizarre dream she had fallen into. Now, as she lingered outside of the hospital, she realized just how difficult her task would be.

It all started with Faith, or, mommy number two as Kara had referred to her for the first five years of her life. In her reality, after years of fighting, Buffy and Faith had finally realized the source of all their contention was their hidden and ever growing desire for each other. While Xander had never quite gotten over the death of Anya at the final battle of Sunnydale, he had jumped at the opportunity to leave his imprint on the world in the form of lending his seed to foster Buffy and Faith's dream conceiving a child.

From what Kara could remember of the years before Buffy and Faith came to their realization, she knew that the major obstacle in her mission would be simply getting them to coexist. "You ready to go in or what? She'll be waking up soon you know," Callum said gently, smiling down at her. He was nearly a foot taller, with an amiable smile that lit up his eyes. Despite her intrinsic desire not to, Kara found herself smiling back.

"So remind me again. I can't tell them anything that'll alter their perception of the future right?" Kara asked, propelling herself forward despite the wishes of her legs.

"Exactly. You can tell them you're from the future. You can even tell them that you're intrinsically linked to all of them. However, you can't tell them how. Not until they're ready to accept it. By telling them, you could change the way things are supposed to happen," Callum replied, struggling to keep up with Kara's pace. If she noticed, she didn't bother to slow, which aggravated him to no end.

Kara nodded curtly and began slowing in front of the nurse's station. "Don't bother," Callum said, leading her by the elbow. "I know the way."

They boarded an elevator, canned pop music filling the silence. "It's been a while. Tell me what's going on here," Kara asked, her voice suddenly small. She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes. Callum's gravelly voice rolled over her.

"Well, this was the high time of the Initiative. The big bad Adam has escaped not too long ago, reeking havoc all over the place like a proper demon. Buffy's dating that bloke Riley. Spike's got that chip in his head. Dawn isn't even around yet. And I don't believe Tara and Willow have officially hooked up, as it were," Callum summarized. "Is there anything I missed?"

"I don't think so," Kara replied as the elevators slid open with a clear ding. They stepped out into the empty, white hallway. The fluorescent lights overhead popped and crackled. Pausing in front of the door that led to Faith's room, Kara took a deep breath. Then she slid the door open and stepped inside.

Faith was so pale, lying on the white hospital bed with white hospital clothes staining her face an impossible shade of milky gray. She looked younger without make-up on. Kara could see her eyes rolling and twitching underneath her eyelids, some fragment of her coma reality fighting her consciousness. By Callum's calculations, Faith would be waking up any moment now. Kara sighed and dropped into a chair at the foot of her mother's bed.

Seeing her again was harder than Kara expected. Faith had died shortly after she turned five, Buffy following not long thereafter. Kara couldn't remember much about either of them, but she knew she had been loved. Callum looked down at the broken and tired girl sitting next to him and felt a swell of pity strike his heart. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a tissue and knelt in front of her. "You've just got some...," Callum smiled and motioned to the tears streaking down her face.

"Thanks," Kara whispered as Callum wiped them away. The beeping of the machines hooked up to Faith sped up suddenly. "Showtime," Kara said, jumping to her feet. She watched as Faith's eyes slowly opened, focusing on the two strangers standing in her room.

"Who the hell are you?"


	3. The First Hurdle

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"Thanks," Kara whispered as Callum wiped them away. The beeping of the machines hooked up to Faith sped up suddenly. "Showtime," Kara said, jumping to her feet. She watched as Faith's eyes slowly opened, focusing on the two strangers standing in her room.

"Who the hell are you?"

Chapter Two:

Callum chuckled nervously as the rogue slayer glared at them, her eyes dangerous slits. "Of course she asks the most confusing question possible," he mumbled. Kara turned and glared at him and, not for the first time, he noticed a strong resemblance in the demeanors of the two women.

Kara sighed and absently ran a hand through her dark hair. "This is gonna sound a little strange," she began, only to be cut off.

"You're from the Council?" Faith asked, noting Callum's strong English accent. She slid up into a sitting position, her muscles tense as if ready to spring into action. Her voice was raw from months of dormancy and, despite her best efforts to appear fearless and controlled; Kara could see a glint of panic in her eyes.

"No," Kara said strongly and reassuringly.

"Wait, what Council?" Callum asked, finding himself out of the loop of information.

"The Watcher's Council. They were destroyed shortly before Sunnydale. The only reason I know about them is because I remember my grandfather telling me stories," Kara whispered, though not low enough, for Faith heard every word.

"Hold up," Faith said, mirroring Kara's earlier action in running a hand through her hair. "The Council's gone...and so is Sunnydale? So where the hell am I? Wait, does that mean the Mayor won? Graduation's happened already?" Sighing, Kara flopped back down in her chair. She couldn't remember everything surrounding the events of the ascension of Mayor Wilkins; no one seemed too happy to talk about it when she was young.

"Quite some hearing you've got there," Callum exclaimed. "In answer to your questions, we're from the future. The Powers that Be sent us back to change the course of events that ultimately lead to the apocalypse. Everything that goes wrong happens here in Sunnydale, so they sent us back just before the whole thing collapses in on itself."

"The Mayor didn't succeed," Kara said slowly, gauging Faith's reaction. She seemed visibly disturbed, but only for a moment, before her face reverted to a stormy calm. "You've been in a coma for eight months, approximately. When I said the Council was gone, I meant the Council was gone in my time. They still exist here and are probably gonna come after you now that you're awake," Kara explained.

"However, you've been given a second chance to make things right here. All of us know that things happened no one could control, on both sides of the coin," Callum continued.

"While you may be wanting payback for everything that happened, we urge you to reconsider and come with us. Believe me," Kara stressed her voice nearly cracking. Faith noticed. She didn't know why, but she felt the desire to comfort the tired girl sitting across from her. Shaking off the thought, she focused on what she was saying.

"I know what happens. I know what's goin' to happen if you choose to leave here without us. You have a real chance to be happy. But you have to come with us and you have to change," Kara finished, hoping she was getting through to the battered woman in front of her.

Faith silently considered them both, time stretching out into painfully long strokes of the clock before she spoke, slowly and deliberately. "Second chance, huh? What makes you think B and the Scoobies give a shit about givin' me a second chance?" Faith asked.

"I'm from the future, remember?" Kara said in exasperation. "I know they'll give you a second chance if you're sincere."

"Also, it isn't all about them, Faith. This is your chance, you know. You can do something good for yourself here," Callum added, giving her a small smile and secretly wishing he had a bottle of whiskey.

"Fine. I'll go, but let's get one thing straight," Faith said, leaning forward dangerously. "I don't trust either of you. You play me, you ain't breathin'. Understand?"

Kara gulped, knowing full well she could take the dark haired slayer, yet she exuded an aura of primeval confidence that shook Kara to her bones. "Good. Let's get outta here, I hate hospitals," Kara said, jumping to her feet.

Faith swung her legs over the side of the bed, wobbled a bit, and then strode forward. "You got any clothes?" She asked, looking down at her drab, white hospital gown.

Kara thought for a second, "Wait here." Several minutes later, Kara reemerged with a pile of clothes.

"Where did you get those?" Callum asked in surprise.

"Locker room. Nurses' gotta where somethin'," Kara responded and smiled at him warmly. She had only known him for a few hours, but already she felt totally at ease with him. Faith, on the other hand, made her feel tense and nervous. It had been many years since she had seen her mom and under extremely different circumstances. Kara was getting a glimpse of the Faith who died after her confrontation with Angel in Los Angeles, and Kara wasn't too sure she liked this old Faith.

Faith quickly changed and rejoined the two people standing awkwardly across the room waiting for her. "One more question," Faith said and the trio crept out of the hospital room. "What are your names?"

When the nurses made their rounds later that night, they discovered Faith's bed empty. As they searched the hospital with the police, one snuck off to the phone banks. Inserting a quarter, the nurse dialed quickly and waited. When the party on the other end picked up, she said two simple words and hung up. "She's awake."

I'll be starting school tomorrow, so apologies if the updates don't come quite as quickly. Also, thanks for the review. Feedback is always appreciated.


	4. Late Night Thoughts

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

The song is by Alison Krauss "Slumber My Darling"

Disclaimer: Forgot I should probably add one of these, the only characters that are mine are Callum and Kara. The rest belong to Joss Whedon and company.

Previously:

Faith quickly changed and rejoined the two people standing awkwardly across the room waiting for her. "One more question," Faith said and the trio crept out of the hospital room. "What are your names?"

When the nurses made their rounds later that night, they discovered Faith's bed empty. As they searched the hospital with the police, one snuck off to the phone banks. Inserting a quarter, the nurse dialed quickly and waited. When the party on the other end picked up, she said two simple words and hung up. "She's awake."

Chapter Three:

Kara stood at the cracked and dirty window of a broken down gas station. She could hear people moving about behind her, deep in the recesses of the shelter they had constructed to weather the onslaught of demons. Spike stood next to her, his bleached hair grown out and wavy. He had a grim look of determination on his face, as if he could sense something was about to happen. Kara shifted unevenly on her feet.

The air around them seemed charged with electricity. Kara could almost feel the pounding of feet on the ground the war cries of an army echoed in her head. The sun was just dipping below the horizon, the last of its golden rays splayed out on the ground. Then it vanished and night quickly slaughtered all that was left of the light. Then Kara saw them. A horde of demons broke over the hill, charging down at their feeble camp. The breath caught in her throat and she looked over at Spike. He returned her gaze and smiled warmly, "Well, this is it, kid."

Kara awoke with a start, sweat dripping off her face and her breath coming out in heavy, ragged sighs. Closing her eyes, she rubbed her hands on her face and tried to block out the images residue on her mind. The night was quiet, and looking out her bedroom window, Kara could see the moon peaking in at her, checking on her, making sure she was safe. Slipping out of bed, she opened the door that led to the hallway. Faintly, she could hear Faith dreaming down the hall.

It had been several months since they broke Faith out of the hospital. Little by little, she began to trust Kara and Callum. She never told them so directly, but Kara could see in it her eyes, in the way she spoke to them, and how her muscles relaxed when they walked in the door. At first, Faith had been plagued with guilt over what she had done, the full weight of her actions bearing down on her. After a while, she had slowly begun to open up to them. With their help, she was well on the road to recovery, eagerly awaiting her chance to make things right with the Scooby Gang and fight evil again.

It wasn't time for that yet, though. The battle with Adam was culminating, soon the Initiative would be destroyed, and Willow, Giles, and Xander would invoke the powers of the First Slayer. The Powers that Be sent Kara and Callum to Sunnydale nearly a year before they were needed there, simply to give them a chance to acclimate themselves to living again in a normal world. Kara and Faith had been slaying vampires late at night, when no one would be out to recognize Faith. With the money they stole from the vamps, and the money Callum got from his rather shady acquaintances, they had been able to buy a small house. It was just large enough for them to live comfortably, with a training room for Kara and Faith.

Moving down the darkened hall, Kara pushed open the door to Faith's bedroom and stepped inside. The carpet was plush and soft against her feet. She crept over to the side of her mother's bed and brushed a few stray locks behind her ear. Faith was dreaming again. Kara guessed it was about Finch or Lester, though Faith had been dreaming about her final encounter with Buffy more frequently. Faith knew they would be revealing themselves shortly, and it plagued her consciousness. Taking a deep breath, Kara began to sing a lullaby Buffy had sung to her when she was little.

"Slumber my darling, thy mother is near, guarding thy dreams from all terror and fear. Sunlight has passed and the twilight is gone, slumber my darling, the night's coming on. Sweet visions attend thy sleep, fondest, dearest to me. While others their revels keep, I will watch over thee. Slumber my darling, the birds are at rest. The wandering dews by the flowers are caressed. Slumber my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm, and pray that the angels will shield thee from harm."

Faith settled down into a peaceful sleep as Kara's words washed over her. Satisfied, Kara slowly stood and backed out of the room, closing the door gently behind her. Then she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Pushing open the door, she was surprised to see the light on and Callum sitting at the island counter. "Can't sleep?" She asked, brushing passed him and filling a glass with water. Then she sat across from him.

"Not so much. You?"

Kara shook her head. "Should we be worried that the Council hasn't come after Faith yet? I mean, I thought they would be all over her as soon as they found out she was awake. But we haven't seen them," Kara said, taking a sip of her water. Kara knew that one false move by the Council could negate all of their work with Faith.

"Maybe they just can't find her. If I was the Council, I would assume Faith had tucked tail and ran as soon as she got the opportunity. But that's just me," Callum answered, his accented voice thick from lack of sleep. Kara smiled.

"So I've got a question," she said, setting her glass down on the counter. "Since I'm here, if Buffy and Faith wind up together in this timeline, like they did in mine, will I still be born?"

Callum thought for a minute, carefully formulating his answer. "While I'm no bloody expert on all this, God knows that," he muttered, "I would imagine since you're here, you can't be here twice. So I don't imagine you would be born again. Of course, since you were never actually born here though, that brings into focus all sorts of existential questions, such as do you really exist? If you don't exist, though, I bloody well don't exist either," Callum said thoughtfully. "And I'm not sure I like that thought."

Kara smirked. "We should start a club," she said sarcastically. Callum laughed and nodded.

"Only if I get to be President," he added. "You know, I wasn't keen on why all this end of the world stuff happened. Care to enlighten me?" Callum knew Kara didn't like to talk about what happened. He had been killed long before Kara, in the initial stages of the war between demons and humans, before he even knew what a demon was. For some reason, the Powers that Be found something in him worthy enough to send him back. He had never thought he would be in a position to do anything as important as saving the world, yet that was precisely what he was expected to do.

"Well, there are a lot of little things that the Powers wanted me to change. Things that would just make the Scooby Gang's lives better, happier. Give them something more to live for than themselves. But the end of the world, that all started after the Watcher's Council was destroyed. When Buffy and the Potentials fought the First Evil, in the Final Battle of Sunnydale, Willow did a spell that awoke the slayer within all of the Potentials."

"So they all became slayers?" Callum asked.

"Yeah, basically. However, it woke up all of the slayers all over the world. From that point on, whenever a baby girl was born with the potential to be a slayer, she was automatically born a slayer. Buffy and company tried to restart the Watcher's Council and unite all of the slayers, but there were too many of them. When the demons discovered how scattered the slayers were, they took the opportunity to band together. Without any of the Council's resources at their fingertips, Buffy and the others weren't able to fight. The demons won," Kara finished, gripping her glass like a life raft.

"So basically, we need to stop the Council from being destroyed," Callum said. Kara nodded.

"When are we gonna approach Buffy?" She asked, for the millionth time that week. She was nervous as hell and Callum knew it. Though he sympathized with her, the question _was_ starting to aggravate him.

"Soon," he said, reaching over and grasping her hand. "Very soon. We just have to wait for Dawn."


	5. Revelations

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Apologies for accidentally calling Callum 'Mason.' I had been toying with adding a character named Mason for the apocalyptic scenes. Just a case of my brain working in a different direction than my fingers. Anyway, I fixed that mistake in the previous chapter and hopefully won't do it again.

Previously:

"So basically, we need to stop the Council from being destroyed," Callum said. Kara nodded.

"When are we gonna approach Buffy?" She asked, for the millionth time that week. She was nervous as hell and Callum knew it. Though he sympathized with her, the question _was_ starting to aggravate him.

"Soon," he said, reaching over and grasping her hand. "Very soon. We just have to wait for Dawn."

Chapter Four:

"Ah the joys of Sunnyhell: the California breeze, the sun, and let's not forget, the abundant horde of vampires and demons just waiting...no, itching, to kill _every_ _last _stupid person who lives in this shitty, little town," Faith declared, twiddling her stake between her fingers as she and Kara walked down the street. The moon was shining high above them, its light mingling with the dim glow of the streetlamps lining the road. A faint breeze rustled the leaves on the trees, a reminder of the quickly approaching fall season.

"Gee Faith, you make it seem like you don't like it here," Kara said sarcastically. Beside her, Faith snorted.

"You think?" She said, then paused a moment to reflect. "Nah, it's not that I don't like it here. I mean, Sunnydale's not a bad place when you think about it. Perfect for a slayer, you know? Got a lot of bad memories here though. But I guess it's home. Boston sure as shit isn't," Faith said, nostalgia and regret staining her husky voice.

Kara wisely remained silent, allowing Faith to lose herself in her memories. She had found it best not to interrupt Faith when she starting talking about the past. Any little interruption from the present and Faith seemed to lose her train of thought, or realize that she was opening up. They were approaching Restfield cemetery. Callum had gone scouting earlier and assured them that Buffy and the rest of the Scooby Gang had retired for the evening. After all, it was nearing three o'clock in the morning. But both Kara and Faith found that while sleep eluded them most nights, the desire to slay did not. When they didn't get the opportunity, Callum found himself with two extremely grumpy and violent women on his hands.

Faith looked over at Kara. Ever since they met, she had a strange affinity for the girl from the future – an almost maternalistic desire to protect her. She had never felt that way towards anyone before. While, when she first came to Sunnydale, she felt a deep desire to protect Buffy, it was from an entirely different set of feelings, feelings she kept locked away for fear of causing her blonde counterpart even more pain. Kara had told Faith virtually nothing of her past, save a few details about some battles she fought in the future. Even though, for all intents and purposes, Kara was a stranger, Faith felt an intimate connection with her, as if she knew the girl's very soul.

"What are you thinking about?" Kara asked, turning her head sharply and catching Faith eyeing her curiously.

Faith grinned almost sheepishly and looked away. "I was just wondering about you. I mean, you said Sunnydale was gone in the future, so where did you live?"

"L.A., for a while. Then after everything happened, I moved around with a bunch of people. Didn't stay in any place too long," Kara answered. It was difficult for her to address the questions Faith had about the future, simply because she didn't want to reveal too much. Certain things were meant to happen, while others were meant to change. If she slipped too much, the things that were set in stone could break apart and alter the future in ways neither she nor Callum could imagine.

"No family, friends?" Faith prodded, eager to learn more about her mysterious friend. The sudden thought that Kara was indeed her friend made Faith smile.

Kara hesitated. She couldn't very well tell Faith that part of her family was walking right next to her. "I had some, but they all died in the fights, and before that. Things were bad for a while," Kara answered as truthfully as she could. "Cemetery's just ahead," she said, diverting the topic. Faith let it slide.

The conversation ceased as they stepped through the wrought irons gates of the cemetery, the tombstones poking out of the earth around them like jagged teeth in a whale's mouth. They moved amongst them silently, their feet barely hitting the ground before shooting out again. Up ahead, next to a mausoleum some rich family had bought to carry them into the afterlife, two vampires stood whispering furtively to each other. Faith nodded to the one on the right and pointed to herself.

They crept closer to the oblivious vampires, slowly parting as they each circled around behind their target. Then, simultaneously, they vaulted over the nearest tombstones, planting two solid kicks on the backs of the demons. The vampires stumbled forward into each other and fell to the ground. Whipping out a stake, Kara drove into the heart of her target just as Faith's exploded into dust. Kara was impressed with how Faith fought, the fierce abandon and passion that lay behind her moves. On the other hand, Faith was constantly impressed with the agility, grace, and control Kara possessed. Training together, each learned how to fight like the other and combined those skills with their own. After several months, they both had become incredible fighters, and together, they were unstoppable.

"Nice. How many you think we'll get tonight?" Faith asked, grinning from ear to ear. She loved slaying.

"Hopefully more than that. I didn't walk all this way for nothing," Kara replied, a grin to match Faith's on her own face.

Their patrol yielded several more vampires, which they dispatched with ease. Shortly before five o'clock, they began the long walk back to the house. The breeze had picked up and the air was slightly cooler than before. The sky was beginning to lighten, the first signs of dawn breaking over the horizon. _Dawn_, Kara thought idly. Dawn would be arriving in Sunnydale any day. It was possible she was here now. Callum was monitoring the Summers' household, keeping a close watch to see when Dawn would arrive.

The fight with Glory was the first thing the Powers that Be instructed Kara to change. So many things happened surrounding that entire event that led to numerous problems. Firstly, Buffy had never been meant to die. She didn't have the will to fight or to live after being brought back, which seriously affected her ability to lead. With Faith fighting Glory beside Buffy, Kara was certain neither would lose. After Tara had been incapacitated, Willow was forced to use black magic to heal her, which led her to the road of destruction she walked after Tara was murdered a year later. Kara hoped to save Tara from that fate, and Willow in the process.

One thing Kara was uncertain she could change was the death of Joyce Summers. Obviously, she had never met her grandmother, though she had heard plenty of stories from her parents, and later, from Spike. Spike had been awfully fond of Joyce and loved to tell Kara all about the willful, strong woman who treated him like a man rather than a monster. Joyce had died from complications of a surgery that removed tumor in her brain. It was a natural death, though the Powers that Be had insinuated saving Joyce could save Buffy from her own dark side and her rather unfortunate fling with Spike.

Kara was so wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn't notice the person standing only a few yards a head of them, gaping at them in shock, until Faith laid a hand on her arm. "Kara," she hissed, her fingernail digging through her light leather jacket. Surprised, Kara looked over at her in alarm, and then at the figure standing before them.

"Hey B," Faith tried to say nonchalantly, though her voice cracked slightly. Buffy stood a few feet in front of them, her hands on her hips, and an expression vaulting between rage, fear, sadness, hope, and delight on her face. Kara stopped dead and panicked. Callum was going to kill her.

"This is so not good."

School has been oddly tame, so the updates are coming quicker. However, much depends on the amount of work I have. Hope to update again tomorrow, or the next.


	6. Apologies

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Surprised, Kara looked over at her in alarm, and then at the figure standing before them. "Hey B," Faith tried to say nonchalantly, though her voice cracked slightly. Buffy stood a few feet in front of them, her hands on her hips, and an expression vaulting between rage, fear, sadness, hope, and delight on her face. Kara stopped dead and panicked. Callum was going to kill her.

"This is so not good."

Chapter Five:

It had never occurred to Kara that Buffy might not even be aware that Faith was awake. A minor technicality to be sure, but it explained the intensely fierce emotions battling out in Buffy's eyes. Watching Buffy switching between anger and hope, Kara sincerely wished the latter won out, for it would make her task just a bit easier.

"You're awake," Buffy managed to croak out. She hadn't been able to sleep, the arrival of her sister severely grating on her nerves. After several hours of tossing and turning, she decided a little after hours slaying would be in order. She had never expected to run across her worst enemy, yet the only friend who could ever truly understand what it was like to be a slayer. Faith stood only a few feet in front of her, clinging onto the arm of the stranger standing next to her. Buffy eyed the girl suspiciously. She had long dark hair that was lightened with natural blonde highlights. Her green eyes pierced the night and held an unnatural calm that Buffy instantly found unnerving. Yet, there was something inexplicably familiar about her. Buffy couldn't determine how old she was, though she looked to be in her early twenties. She was beautiful and Buffy couldn't stop the wave of jealousy from passing through her as she saw how close Faith seemed to be with the girl.

"Yeah, funny that," Faith chuckled, her nerves burning underneath her skin. "I get how this must be a shock, yeah? And I'm sure this probably sounds really stupid coming from me...but I'm not gonna hurt you, okay? I don't want to hurt anybody anymore," Faith said, her grip lessening on Kara's arm. Kara breathed a sigh of relief, the blood starting to flow through her arm again.

Buffy immediately tensed up, boring holes into Faith. "I'm just supposed to trust that you don't want to hurt me?" Buffy laughed mirthlessly. "That's gonna happen, Faith."

Faith sighed and closed her eyes, trying to find her center. She had imagined Buffy would be reluctant to believe her. Though she had never been very astute with words, she desperately hoped the right ones would come to her now. "B...Buffy," she started slowly, the wheels in her mind visibly turning. "I messed up, big time. You guys reached out to me, tried to make me welcome, tried to be my friends, and I turned my back on all of you. I'm not gonna try to give you any bullshit reasons about why I did it; I don't think any of them would make any sense anyway," Faith paused. She could see her words sinking in. Buffy relaxed slightly, seeing the sincere expression in Faith's eyes – the guilt was almost tangible on her.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is...I'm sorry. I don't know if that means anything to you or not, or if you even believe me. Whether you do or not, I am sorry and I wanna do everything in my power to make it right with you guys," she finished. Her mouth was as dry as a desert and her tongue felt heavy in her mouth. She had never been so nervous in her life. But she had spoken truly and straight from her heart, and Buffy could tell.

Beside her, Kara glanced over at Faith with small smile on her lips and pride shining in her eyes. She knew how hard it had been for Faith to apologize, but she had done it. Whether Buffy accepted her apology or not, Faith could be proud that she had spoken the words and meant every sentiment behind them. Turning her attention back to the blonde slayer, her other mother, Kara watched as her muscles relaxed and the anger disappeared from her face. She still looked wary, which Kara had anticipated, as had Faith, but she looked happy. Kara imagined Buffy would be able to accept the situation better now that she had managed to prevent Faith from switching bodies with her and sleeping with Riley. That event had been a divisive mark in their relationship that never really healed.

"I believe you," Buffy said at last. "But you hurt a lot of people here, myself included. It's gonna take a lot more than an apology to win back everyone's trust," Buffy warned. Moving forward, she stopped just in front of Faith. Faith watched her, an expression akin to astonishment gracing her features.

"Seriously? You believe me?" She asked, not believing the words spilling out of Buffy's mouth. Buffy smiled warmly and leaned in, hugging Faith close to her.

"Yeah, I believe you," she whispered in the dark slayer's ear, her breath tickling Faith's neck. Faith suppressed the shudder that went through her from Buffy's close proximity and gingerly wrapped her arms around the other slayer. Kara watched the interaction with a knowing smile. Things were progressing better than she thought they would. She knew if Faith sincerely approached Buffy, Buffy would understand and welcome her back. However, catching Buffy by surprise hadn't been a part of that plan.

Now, watching her two mothers reunite, Kara couldn't help but feel a little sad that she hadn't been able to spend more time with them back in her timeline. "So who's this?" Buffy asked, motioning to Kara, as she broke the embrace.

Faith smiled. "Kara, B. B, Kara," she said by way of introduction. Buffy smiled and shook Kara's outstretched hand.

"Most people use the rest of my name as well," Buffy said, shooting Faith a playful glare. Faith simply shrugged.

"Oh, and K's from the future," Faith added, as if that explained everything. Kara rolled her eyes and Buffy looked completely confused.

"Yeah, it's a long story. We were just heading home, walk with us and I'll tell you everything I can. Besides, you should meet Callum," Kara said. Buffy nodded in agreement and, together, the three girls wandered down the street, each feeling lighter than they had in a long time.

Across the street, a group of four men watched the girls disappear around a corner. They were wearing black from head to toe and carried guns hidden in holsters underneath their Kevlar jackets. Pulling a cigar from his mouth, their captain spoke, his voice gruff with an overbearing English accent. "That's the one. The Council doesn't want us touching the slayer. Just the rogue," he said.

"What about the other girl?" One of his men asked.

"Best to take all precautions," he said. "We'll just kill her too."


	7. Dawn

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Across the street, a group of four men watched the girls disappear around a corner. They were wearing black from head to toe and carried guns hidden in holsters underneath their Kevlar jackets. Pulling a cigar from his mouth, their captain spoke, his voice gruff with an overbearing English accent. "That's the one. The Council doesn't want us touching the slayer. Just the rogue," he said.

"What about the other girl?" One of his men asked.

"Best to take all precautions," he said. "We'll just kill her too."

Chapter Six:

Callum was having a particularly bad evening. He had spent several hours sitting outside in the dewy grass waiting for Buffy to finish her fight with Dracula, which Kara had instructed him not to interfere with in any way. Then, after following the blonde slayer home, he nearly been caught snooping around the Summers' house. In a fit of panic, he had bolted down the street, tripped over a trashcan, and scraped his arm. By the time he arrived home, Faith and Kara had properly demolished the Chinese food they had ordered for dinner, including his portion, and left for patrol. To top it all off, someone had finished, or poured down the drain, his secret stash of whiskey. He assumed the culprit to be Kara; after all, she was particularly adamant about his cutting back on the alcohol.

It was now a little after five o'clock in the morning and neither of the girls had returned from patrol. Callum was a bit more than worried as he paced back and forth in front of the door. A million different scenarios were flying through his mind of all the different things that could have happened to them. "They could be dead somewhere and here am I running bleeding holes in the carpet," he muttered to himself and slowed to a stop. He could hear footsteps outside. A key slid into the lock and the door slammed open, three worn out and sleepy women trudging in.

Callum stood bug eyed by the stairs. "Holy shit, you have Buffy," he exclaimed upon seeing the blonde haired slayer following closely behind Faith and Kara. "Which, of course, you already knew, seeing as to how she's standing right behind you. Yeah...I'm just gonna stop with the talking now," he muttered, slightly embarrassed as a watched a small smile creep onto Kara's face.

"Like I said, you really have to meet Callum. There's no one else like him in the world," Kara said jokingly.

"How's it going?" Callum asked, shaking Buffy's hand as she stepped further into the house, and trying futilely to recover his dignity.

"What are you, a watcher?" Buffy asked, noting his accent. His dress indicated otherwise, however. Clad in a pair of faded blue jeans and a black t-shirt for a band she had never heard of, Buffy thought he looked more like a college student than a watcher.

"Um, well, not exactly," Callum replied, wondering how much Kara had told Buffy about their situation.

As if reading his mind, Kara answered, "I haven't told her much yet. I figured it would be better for her to meet you first."

Callum nodded. "Good idea. Well, shall we sit, yeah? There's a lot we need to talk about."

The group moved into the living room. Kara was happy to see Faith and Buffy sitting next to each other on the couch. "To start, Kara and I are from the future, which I'm sure you already know," upon Buffy's nod, Callum continued. "In our particular timeline, things didn't end so well for the human race."

"Meaning, pretty much everyone died," Kara cut in.

"Yeah. Big end of the world mumbo jumbo. Not good. So the Powers that Be sent us back here to fix it. Now, what I'm about to tell you is not going to make too much sense to you yet. But I swear to you, I'm telling the truth," Callum said gravely.

Buffy had a sinking feeling in her stomach. If the Powers that Be had sent Kara and Callum back to Sunnydale, than whatever had caused the end of the world was probably her fault. "Fire away," Buffy said, bracing herself for whatever it was Callum had to tell her.

"It's about Dawn," Callum started. Buffy's head snapped up.

"What about Dawn?"

"Relax, B," Faith cut in. "It's okay. She's fine. It's just...there's something different about her." Shortly after freeing Faith from the hospital, Kara had sat down with Faith and told her everything she could about Dawn and Glory. Faith imagined it was to show her that if Kara and Callum trusted her, she could trust them.

"What do you mean, different?" Buffy asked, looking back and forth between the three.

"Dawn is something called The Key," Kara said. "Millions of years of mystical energy all bound up into a single human being."

"But the key wasn't always in that form," Callum added. "You see, a group of monks were assigned the task of protecting The Key. Recently, that task became too much for them and they couldn't protect it in the way they needed to. So, they decided to send The Key to the slayer because they knew the slayer would protect it."

"So they sent you Dawn," Faith finished. "Dawn hasn't always been your sister, but she is now. The memories you have were given to you by the monks."

"It's absolutely imperative that you protect Dawn. No one can know what she is," Callum said wearily, running a hand through his messy brown hair. "There's a god, a hell god, who wants to find The Key so that she can return to her own dimension."

"A hell god?" Buffy asked, not particularly liking the thought that some hell beast wanted her sister.

"Yeah. Glory, the hell god, wants Dawn so that she can open a portal leading back to her dimension. The problem is the portal will suck all of this reality into that dimension if it opens."

"Much like Acathla," Buffy muttered. "I really hate portals."

Kara moved over to the couch and sat across from Buffy. "I know this is a lot to take in. But it's really important that you tell Dawn everything. If she finds out on her own, or accidentally, she won't take it very well. It's better for her if she finds out sooner rather than later," Kara said gently, but forcefully. She remembered Dawn telling her about how she found out she was The Key. Dawn was convinced she wasn't real after learning her true nature and cut herself with a kitchen knife to see if she would really bleed, if she would really feel anything.

Shortly after that, Dawn took off and wound up at the hospital, where she met up with Ben. When Ben changed into Glory, she was trapped. Kara desperately wanted to avoid that entire situation. "So I can tell Dawn. What about my mom, what about my friends? What about Giles?" Buffy asked, growing increasingly frustrated. She had all of these memories of she and Dawn, memories that she had just learned weren't even real. Faith seemed to sense Buffy's inner turmoil. Hesitantly, she reached over and took Buffy's hand in her own. Ignoring that sparks of electricity that shot up her arm, Faith gently spoke, "She's still your sister, B. She'll always be your sister. Just because she's got a ball of mystical energy inside her, doesn't mean she's any less human, any less real. She needs you to love her, B."

Buffy smiled gratefully at Faith. For some reason, with Faith's hand resting in her own, Buffy felt as if everything would be okay. Relaxing slightly, she gently squeezed Faith's hand, relishing the tingling feeling that shot up her arm. "Of course you can tell your mom and Giles. They should know, especially your mom. However, I would advise you wait before telling your friends. Not because I don't trust them," Callum added quickly, "But simply because they might treat Dawn differently knowing what she is. The only way Dawn is going to be able to accept all of this is if everyone continues to treat her exactly the same. When things heat up, by all means, tell the others. But until then, I think Dawn would appreciate a bit of discretion."

Buffy sighed. "This is so screwed up," she said at last. "Okay, so I tell my mom today and together, we'll talk to Dawn." Buffy glanced quickly at her watch. It was nearing six o'clock. "I better get back home," she said and looked over at Faith. "Wanna come with? I'm sure mom would love to fix you breakfast," Buff said smiling.

Faith hesitated, but she knew she would have to approach Buffy's mom and the others eventually. "Sure," she answered.

"Give us a call, yeah? When you decide to talk to Giles," Callum said as the two girls stood and moved toward the door.

"Come to the Magic Box around six tonight. We'll have a Scooby meeting, talk about everything," Buffy said as she and Faith left.

The door slammed shut and Callum and Kara were left sitting in the living room. Silence hung over them for several minutes until Callum finally spoke. "Did you dump all my whiskey?"

Note: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming! :-p


	8. The Council

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"Come to the Magic Box around six tonight. We'll have a Scooby meeting, talk about everything," Buffy said as she and Faith left.

The door slammed shut and Callum and Kara were left sitting in the living room. Silence hung over them for several minutes until Callum finally spoke. "Did you dump all my whiskey?"

Note: Yes, S/D means Spike/Dawn, not Spike/Dru. Eventually, I will get to that in the story, might take a while though. Thanks for the reviews. Much appreciated.

Chapter Seven:

She saw him across the room; he was this tiny, parentless boy, maybe eight years old. He had a mop of blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. Those eyes shifted around the shelter, falling on each person, until they landed on Kara. She smiled at him slightly, too tired from running to put up much of an effort, yet, she didn't want to turn him away. The boy smiled back and crawled in between and over top of people on the crowded floor. He settled in her lap and threw his arms around her neck, burying his face in her shoulder.

She hadn't been expecting that reaction and, hesitantly, she hugged the boy back. "Who's the tike?" Spike asked, appearing beside her and sitting down with his back against the wall. "I couldn't get any food," he said apologetically and Kara shrugged. She imagined if there were any, Spike would be smoking a cigarette.

"Don't know," Kara answered. "Just came over here." Looking down at the boy, she whispered, "What's your name?"

He looked up at her, his shining blue eyes still wet with innocence. "Mason," he said slowly, almost as if trying to remember something he had heard a long time ago.

"I'm Kara," Kara responded and pointed over to Spike. "And that's Spike."

"Pleased to meet you, I'm sure," Spike said somewhat jokingly, though the boy didn't understand and simply nodded.

Kara was about to speak when the siren went off in the house. Suddenly, all of the people jumped to their feet, all massing toward the door. "We're never gonna get out of here at this bloody rate," Spike growled and looked around. A little ways down the wall was a boarded up window. "Come on," he said grabbing Kara by the hand. Kara clung to Mason as she stood and followed Spike.

Spike grabbed the planks of wood covering the window and pulled. One finally gave way and when the window was cleared, he wrapped his hand in his t-shirt and punched through the glass. He crawled out first and grabbed the boy as Kara handed him through the window. When her feet touched the dirt outside, they started running through the night, away from the house being attacked by demons, and all of the people dying inside.

The light filtered in through the blinds, a soft yellow that transformed everything into a paler version of itself. Kara slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the light. She was lying on the couch with a blanket thrown on top of her. She couldn't quite remember how she had gotten there. Looking over, she saw Callum asleep on the floor, propped up against the wall. She smiled, rightly accrediting her position, and the blanket, to him.

Groaning, she sat up and rubbed her hand over her face, working away all remnants of sleep. The clock was chiming twelve times for noon. Kara hoped Faith was faring well with Buffy's mom and sister. She felt a bit sorry for her mother, but knew that facing each Scooby was a necessary part of her recovery. Kara was about to pull herself to her feet when she stopped dead. She had never paid much attention to her 'spider senses,' as Faith called them, simply because in her timeline, there were more demons than humans by far. Chances were, any moving object was a demon.

But as she sat on the couch, a tingling sensation ran up her spine. She instinctively knew that the feeling wasn't from a vampire or demon – it was from a human. The window beside her suddenly blew inward in a hail of bullets and Kara dove to the ground. Pain shot through her shoulder and touching the wound, she growled as her fingers came back sticky with blood. "Bastards," she mumbled to herself.

"What the hell is going on?" Callum harshly whispered from his now prostrate position on the floor. Kara crawled over to him and pointed to the back of the house.

"Back door now! Ask questions later," she said. They half crawled, half ran into the kitchen just as their attackers were stepping into the house through the front window. Pulling open the door as silently as possible, they took off into the backyard, scaling the fence, and running as fast as they could once they hit solid ground on the other side.

"Watcher's Council," Kara finally answered once they were a good distance away from the house. Risking a backwards glance, Kara was relieved to see no one following them. "They probably assumed Faith was there."

"That makes me feel so much better," Callum grumbled. "Hold up. I can't run anymore," he said and doubled over, wheezing slightly.

Kara quickly surveyed their surroundings. They had run fairly far, now just on the outskirts of downtown Sunnydale. "Come on, let's get out of sight," she said, pulling Callum by the hand into an alley. "We should go to the Summers' house," she decided finally.

"Oh hell no," Callum quickly answered. "If those bastards shot up our house, they're probably in the midst of shooting up theirs as well."

"Exactly. We have to stop them."

"And how exactly do you suppose we do that?" Callum asked. "We don't have any weapons. You're wounded. And, let's face it, I'm practically useless save for moral support."

Kara couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, you really are," she answered jokingly. Wincing, she gingerly inspected her wound. With slayer healing, it would be healed in a couple of days, but it still hurt.

"We should get that looked at," Callum said. Tearing a strip of his t-shirt off, he gently wrapped it around Kara's arm. "This might hurt," he said and tied it tightly, creating a tourniquet. Kara smiled gratefully.

"Where should we go then?" She asked, leaning against the wall. She hated running from her enemies; she had been doing it ever since she could remember, but Callum was right. They had nothing to fight with.

"The Magic Box," Callum said, peaking out from the alley and seeing the storefront just down the street. "It's where Buffy told us to go tonight, we'll just get there a little early. Come on."

Callum grabbed her hand and held it tightly in his own as they stepped out onto the street. They hadn't seen their attackers, but with a quick study of the people surrounding them, they easily determined that gun toting Council members were not among the pedestrians. Kara glanced down at their entwined hands, shoving the mess of feelings the sight created into the back of her mind. Unbeknownst to her, Callum was doing the same.

They reached the Magic Box in a matter of minutes. Taking a deep breath, Kara pulled open the front door. The little bell overtop of the door whined and all heads in the store turned to look at Kara and Callum as they stepped inside. "Come here right away," Giles was instructing into the telephone. He hung it up, and almost whispering to himself, stated, "If Travers is behind this..."

Turning he saw two people standing just in front of the door, a man and a woman, the latter with a bloodied bandage on her arm. "May I help you?" He asked, moving forward to greet them with a worried expression.

"Does it look like we want any bleeding eye of newt?" Callum asked sarcastically. Kara shot him a glare before he could speak further.

"Has Buffy spoken to you about some people from the future?" Kara asked, weary at having to explain their situation yet again.

"Well yes, she called me this morning. Are you...?"

"Yeah. That would be us. The Council tried to kill us this morning. Do you know about Faith?" Kara asked, stepping further into the shop with Callum trailing behind her.

"Please, sit," Giles instructed them. "Xander, get the first aid kit."

Once seated, Kara glanced around the room. She recognized Willow and Xander, though the other two women in the room she didn't. She assumed they were Tara and Anya. Kara watched her father disappear into the back of the store. "Yes, Buffy also informed us that Faith was awake, and thanks to your intervention, was on the road to redemption," Giles answered.

"Good. The Council is looking for her," Kara started, but Giles cut her off.

"I'm aware," he said, removing his glasses and cleaning them thoroughly. "Buffy just called me from a payphone. She, Faith, Dawn, and Joyce were attacked this morning as well. They're all fine, a little shaken, and are coming here."

Xander reappeared at that moment with the first aid kit and passed it off to Giles. Kara ignored the pain as Giles fished the bullet out of her arm, focusing instead on the people sitting around the room. They were all staring at her quite intently, as if trying to read the future from her face. "So, in the future. What happens? Do we all die?" Anya finally asked, breaking the silence.

Kara stifled a groan. "Anya," Xander said, shooting a placating smile over to his girlfriend. "Remember Buffy said that Kara can't tell us anything. It could mess up the present?"

"Oh, right," Anya said dejectedly, then added. "Like you all don't want to know the same thing."

Kara smiled sympathetically at Xander, knowing that, with her help, he would be spending the rest of his life with the ex-vengeance demon. Giles was watching her out of the corner of his eye as he finished bandaging her arm. Kara knew that she and Callum would have to speak to him privately about Dawn and Glory. The bell overtop of the door jingled again aggravatingly and they all turned to see the rest of their companions trudging into the shop. Kara could feel the tension rise when the Scoobies saw Faith trailing closely behind Dawn. Glancing up from the floor, Faith met the eyes of each person, stopping on Kara.

"Shit, what happened to you?"


	9. The Scoobies

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Kara smiled sympathetically at Xander, knowing that, with her help, he would be spending the rest of his life with the ex-vengeance demon. Giles was watching her out of the corner of his eye as he finished bandaging her arm. Kara knew that she and Callum would have to speak to him privately about Dawn and Glory. The bell overtop of the door jingled again aggravatingly and they all turned to see the rest of their companions trudging into the shop. Kara could feel the tension rise when the Scoobies saw Faith trailing closely behind Dawn. Glancing up from the floor, Faith met the eyes of each person.

Chapter Eight:

The atmosphere was similar to a boardroom take over: charged, tense, and hostile. Everyone was seated around the table in the Magic Box, with all eyes pinned on Faith, who held up admirably under the intense scrutiny. Kara could see how uncomfortable she was and Buffy, as if sensing the same thing, reached under the table and clasped Faith's hand in her own. Faith nearly jumped out of her seat in surprise, though she threw a quick, grateful smile Buffy's way.

Clearing her throat, Faith began, "I've never been very good with words, but I'll try the best I can." She paused to reflect. "I don't expect any of you to forgive me, but I need you to know that I am sorry." Turning to Willow, she looked the redhead in the eyes. "Red, I put a knife to your throat. I threatened you. I hurt you. For all of that, I'm sorry," Faith said with a steady voice, though Kara could hear just the tiniest waver that no one else noticed. Willow sat impassively during Faith's speech, the same bitter expression staining her features. Faith had done more than hold a knife to the witch's throat. Willow had always been jealous of Faith, for the easy way she came into their lives and enraptured everyone. It would take more than an apology to change her mind, though Kara had a feeling that with Tara's influence, Willow would learn to forgive Faith over time.

"Xan," Faith said turning to Xander. His eyes dropped to the table under her gaze. "I choked you and used you. And I messed with your head 'cuz I could. It was so wrong and I'm sorry," Faith confessed. Xander nodded imperceptibly, but he raised his eyes and the anger behind them was gone. The connection he felt with Faith was more than sexual. Both he and Faith grew up in hostile environments. While Faith acted out as a means of escaping her past, Xander bottled it up inside. Yet, he knew what made her tick. His pride had been wounded more than anything else had, but he could forgive.

Finally, Faith turned to Giles, who smiled at her encouragingly. "I've never really trusted adults. After losing my watcher, I hated the idea of replacing her with another. I know I was difficult. Maybe if I had listened to you, things would have been different. But you got my respect, G. I'll listen now," Faith finished and internally breathed a sigh of relief. She had been dreading that moment for months. Now that it was over, she felt as if she had jumped one of the biggest hurdles that separated her from finding some sort of peace.

Buffy squeezed Faith's hand reassuringly, proud of her sister slayer. Earlier that morning, before the Council attacked them, Faith had expressed her apologies to Dawn and Joyce. Though the words were halted, Buffy could hear the sincerity behind them. Apparently, so could her mother and sister, for both forgave Faith within a matter of moments. The rest of the morning, the four women shared breakfast, laughing and catching up on each other's lives. Shortly after, Buffy and Faith had explained to Joyce about The Key, Dawn, and Glory while Dawn was getting ready for school. The Council attacked just before Joyce could respond. Shooting a glance over at her mother, Buffy couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking. Would she be able to accept Dawn?

"Well, we all certainly appreciate your apologies, Faith, and see the sincerity behind them. Hopefully, this will help reconstruct the walls of trust between us all. However, it will take some time for that to happen. By your actions, I hope we will see that your change for the better is sincere," Giles said sternly. Looking at the girl sitting in front of him, he could no longer see the rage pouring off her. She had most definitely changed, though glancing around the room, Giles could tell some of the others had yet to see it. Willow concerned him the most. The red haired witch seemed completely unaffected by Faith's apology.

"Yeah, what he said," Xander replied, giving Faith a lopsided smile.

"Yes. As long as it's clear that Xander is mine, I don't see why we can't get along," Anya added, squeezing closer to Xander. Faith smiled and nodded.

"Understood."

"That's Anya, by the way, I don't know if you remember her. You'll meet Riley soon. And this is Tara," Buffy said, introducing the two new faces to Faith. Tara smiled shyly. "Okay, so Giles, we need to talk to you in the back," Buffy said, standing and motioning for her mother, Callum, Faith, and Kara to join them. "Uh, Will, could you keep Dawn occupied?" Buffy asked. Willow smiled and nodded.

Once they had gathered in the back of the store, Giles closed the door behind them, his face somber. "You mentioned something about Dawn on the telephone?"

"Yeah. Apparently, Dawn is something called The Key. She's like a bundle of mystical energy all packed together. And there's this hell god named Glory who's looking for The Key so she can open this portal to get back to her dimension. But if she does that, the world'll get sucked into hell," Buffy said as quietly as she could.

"And Kara, you're sure of this?" Giles asked.

"Absolutely. Glory is incredibly strong. Buffy won't be able to stop her by herself, but with me and Faith behind her, I think we'll be able to stop her. Glory has a limited amount of time to work with and she's got a major weakness. You see, Glory is immortal, but she doesn't belong in this reality. In order to sustain herself here, she has to have a mortal body," Kara explained.

"Her mortal half is a man named Ben, he works at the hospital. In order to kill Glory, you have to kill Ben," Callum finished. Silence hung heavy on the room, each person contemplating the ramifications of his statement. Faith shuddered, knowing that if she had to kill Ben, she could never come back from that darkness.

"You'll have your first run in with Glory soon," Kara said, trying to remember everything that was going to happen. "She'll kick your ass, but don't worry. She doesn't know anything about Dawn and she won't kill you because you're the only link she has."

"Now, what to do about the Council," Giles cut in. "We can't have them gallivanting all over Sunnydale with machine guns."

"Faith and I will take care of it," Buffy said.

"For now, everyone just keep an eye on Dawn. Things are already changing that we can't control," Kara said. "The Council never did this in my timeline. I can't say that things will progress exactly the same."

"Good point. We'll be back before dusk," Buffy said. She and Faith disappeared out of the backdoor. Kara watched them go, suddenly remembering something.

"I'm gonna take a walk," she declared. "Clear my head. I'll be back later." Leaving the Magic Box, Kara quickly surveyed the street and took off in the direction of Spike's crypt.

Note: Forgive me if my timing in Season 5 is a bit off. I'm trying to follow along with an episode guide, seeing as how it's been a while, but I can see I'm already a little ahead on Giles opening the Magic Box and what not. I'll probably be leaving some things out, such as Harmony and Xander's run in with Toth, simply because they don't really fit in the story.


	10. Spike

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"Good point. We'll be back before dusk," Buffy said. She and Faith disappeared out of the backdoor. Kara watched them go, suddenly remembering something.

"I'm gonna take a walk," she declared. "Clear my head. I'll be back later." Leaving the Magic Box, Kara quickly surveyed the street and took off in the direction of Spike's crypt.

Chapter Nine:

Kara wandered through the cemetery, idly glancing at the headstones surrounding her. She was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed with the responsibility laid out before her. Though she had been a slayer in her timeline, the title didn't nearly convey the amount of responsibility it did here. She had never been expected to lead, or make decisions. "Hell, I was rarely even expected to fight," Kara muttered to herself. She had spent the majority of her time hiding and running from the overwhelming numbers of demons that had patrolled her world.

Though she imagined Buffy would expect her to prevent Dawn from being captured at all, Kara thought it wiser to let events play out as closely to the way they had in her world. Kara knew exactly how to save Dawn and prevent Buffy from dying, if Dawn was captured and about to be sacrificed in the first place. However, if Kara foiled Glory's attempts to capture Dawn, she couldn't say what the goddess would do.

Kara sighed. Buffy wouldn't trust her if she let Glory capture Dawn, yet, things could end far worse if she didn't. Kara stopped walking. She stood only a few feet from Spike's crypt. Spike had been her greatest ally in her world, the last Scooby left. When he died, she thought she would never recover. Cautiously approaching the crypt, she knocked swiftly on the door and pushed it open, not wanting to catch the vampire unawares.

It was dark inside and seemingly empty. Kara could feel Spike's presence, though he was trying to hide. "Just come out, I know you're in here," she said impatiently. Spike stepped forward, eyeing her warily. His hair was slicked back, still bleached, but not grown out and curly like she remembered. The tight black t-shirt and black jeans he wore clearly indicated his sense of style hadn't changed, however.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" He asked, trying his hardest to seem intimidating.

"Stop trying, okay? I know you have a chip in your head. I need to talk to you, I'm a friend of Buffy's," Kara said, stepping forward into the crypt. Spike relaxed slightly at the slayer's name.

"Really? I don't remember seeing you before, pet. Care to enlighten me?"

"My name's Kara. I'm from the future. Came back here with a guy named Callum. I knew you, in my timeline. Just like I knew the others," Kara answered.

Spike jumped up onto the large stone tomb in the center of the room. "Well, that must be a bit awkward. I take it we were friends?"

"Yeah. And yeah. Listen, I need to talk to you about some things."

"By all means. Have a seat," Spike said, motioning to the windowsill. Kara moved over to it quickly and sat. Spike watched her, almost certain he should kick the girl out of his crypt, but completely unable to. She seemed totally at ease with him, unconcerned that he was a vampire. Though he should have been offended, he was rather pleased that she didn't care he was a monster. "Mind if I smoke?" Spike asked, lighting up a cigarette. Kara shook her head.

"Not like it'll kill you," she responded with a smirk.

"True."

"I'm gonna ask you a question. Chances are, you're gonna feign complete indignation and tell me to leave, secretly knowing the answer is yes. But I'll ask it anyway," Kara said in preparation. "Do you have feelings for Buffy?"

Spike stared at her with a mix of shock, indignation, and resigned acquiescence on his face. "Bloody well of course not!" He declared immediately. "No," he added forcefully. "It's completely unnatural, you know. She's a bloody slayer. I should be killin' her," he reminded himself. Looking up at Kara's amused expression, he sighed. "Maybe just a little."

"That's what I thought. You know, I can tell you from personal experience of the future, that you don't belong with her. She'll make you miserable and she'll never really love you back. But there is someone who will and does," Kara said, a mischievous smile on her face. Spike perked up a bit.

"I know it wouldn't work out. I mean, I'm the soulless blood-sucking fiend over here. I guess it's all that you want what you can't have," Spike said thoughtfully. "So who's the lucky lady?"

Kara chuckled to herself. "Oh, I can't tell you that Spike. You have to figure it out on your own. But you're not too far off, you know. Just think about: who is it that comes to mind all the time, after Buffy. Then you'll know," Kara said, jumping off the windowsill. "Start coming to these Scooby meetings too. They may not want you there particularly, but they need you there."

A small smile played on Spike's face as Kara walked to the door. "How the hell do you know I won't go all bloody evil and kill everyone?" He shouted after her.

"From the future, remember?" Kara shouted back, winking at him as she disappeared into the sunlight.

Spike sat, watching her go, thinking about who she could have been talking about. The idea that he could be someone good in the future, though repulsive to his inner demon, struck Spike the man as extraordinary. He felt hope kindle in his chest and couldn't remember the last time he had felt it. "Well bloody hell," he chuckled to himself.


	11. Room 17

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Spike sat, watching her go, thinking about who she could have been talking about. The idea that he could be someone good in the future, though repulsive to his inner demon, struck Spike the man as extraordinary. He felt hope kindle in his chest and couldn't remember the last time he had felt it. "Well bloody hell," he chuckled to himself.

Chapter Ten:

Buffy and Faith walked in silence down the main drag of downtown Sunnydale. They were heading toward Willy's bar, the most logical place in town to go for information. It was a beautiful day; the sky was a deep shade of blue intermittently interrupted by great, puffy white clouds. The seasons were just changing, summer making way for fall. There was a slight chill in the air, a light breeze that stirred the leaves and charged the air with electricity.

Neither of them noticed, however, as they strolled along, each lost in their own thoughts. Faith was pleasantly surprised by Xander's reaction to her apology, though she knew it would take more than words to convince him that he could trust her again. Though Willow hadn't reacted at all, Faith was confident with time she could convince the redheaded witch to give her a second chance. The first few months after she had awoken from her coma, Faith had been convinced that she wasn't worth saving. As hard as Kara and Callum tried to convince her that she was, she tried just as hard to push them away.

In the end, they won; a fact for which Faith was quite grateful. When she entered the Magic Box that afternoon, she knew things weren't going to be easy. With the confidence and self worth she had developed under Kara and Callum's watchful eyes, she knew she could face any obstacle. Faith smiled to herself, closing her eyes and breathing in the air. She could smell the change of seasons, a lingering musk that coated her throat with the taste of age and wisdom.

Beside her, Buffy's mind was a whirl of activity. She had been pleased with the reception Faith received from her family and friends. However, she was worried about Willow's reaction. She could tell from Tara's thoughtful glances in her direction that the blonde haired witch was worried as well. Willow rarely shut down, but this afternoon she had shown no signs of any emotion to Faith's apology, save the bitter scowl on her face when Faith first walked into the Magic Box and back into their lives.

When those thoughts died away, Buffy thought of Riley for the first time that day. Sighing, she couldn't help but feel she and Riley weren't meant to be together. She liked to think she was in love with him, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized she was in love with the idea of a normal life. Though Riley wasn't normal in every sense of the word, he was human at least, and seemed the most likely to give her something of a normal life.

Once Faith had stepped back into her life, however, Buffy couldn't see the attraction in a normal life anymore. Faith had always stirred deep feelings inside of Buffy, feelings Buffy had attributed to their bond as slayers for the longest time, but was starting to recognize as something more. When she was around the younger slayer, she felt alive. Their skin brushed and Buffy would feel sparks of electricity run up her spine. She didn't know if Faith felt the same, though she desperately hoped that she did. Buffy could see a sadness behind Faith's eyes that she longed to erase.

"Here we are. One of Sunnydale's finer establishments," Faith commented with a snort as they stood outside of Willy's bar. Buffy suppressed a shudder.

"Let's get this over with," she said, her face a mask of slayer concentration. Faith smiled, feeling every nerve in her body tingling with anticipation. She could feel the demons inside the bar and her slayer instincts were going wild.

Not even ten minutes later, Buffy and Faith emerged from the dank, smoky bar, out into the soft, afternoon sunlight. Wiping her hands on her jeans, Buffy grimaced and started walking in the direction of Sunnydale's one and only motel. "Well, that was easy," she said.

"Yeah. Willy squeals like a girl," Faith responded, sharing a laugh with her sister slayer.

They continued to walk in silence, their thoughts taking nearly the same path as they neared the motel. Faith had spent a better part of a year living in that motel, before the Mayor had set her up in her apartment. Many unpleasant memories were associated with the motel, including the conversation she and Buffy had shortly after she had killed Allen Finch. Faith still regretted every word of that conversation. She had deeply cared about killing Allen, though she was too afraid to admit it. If she had, things might have turned out very different for she and Buffy.

Buffy thought about that day too as they walked. In the middle of the night, when she was plagued with insomnia and her thoughts drifted back to all of the events in her life, she couldn't help but think she hadn't tried hard enough to help Faith. She blamed herself a great deal for Faith's fall into darkness. If she hadn't been so consumed with Angel and all of the petty things in her life, she would have seen the hurt and fear behind Faith's eyes. She could see it now and it ate away at her, knowing that some of that hurt was her fault.

"Home sweet home," Faith muttered as the motel loomed closer. Buffy sighed. She shouldn't have let Faith live in that motel.

"I'm sorry," Buffy said suddenly, catching Faith quite off guard. Stopping in her tracks, Faith turned and looked over at Buffy.

"For what?" She asked, honestly confused.

"For making you stay here. For not helping you when I had the chance. For being so incredibly dense that I couldn't see how much you were hurting," Buffy said, turning back to the dark haired slayer with unshed tears making her eyes sparkle in the sun. Faith was struck with how beautiful she looked in that moment.

Buffy stepped closer, her eyes falling to the brunette's stomach. "Can I?" She asked, glancing back up at Faith. Faith nodded, slowly lifting her shirt to reveal the scar she would wear for the rest of her life. Buffy stood within a breath of Faith, her hand reaching out with shaking fingers. Her fingertips landed on the warm skin of Faith's stomach and she shuddered. Tracing her fingers over the scar, a wave of guilt crashed into her. She had done this.

"It's not your fault," Faith said, sensing Buffy's mood. "I was so lost, B. You had to do this. I'd be gone now if you hadn't," she said, covering Buffy's hand with her own. Buffy looked up into Faith's chocolate eyes and was stunned by the depth of emotion she saw there. She could have sworn she had seen love in Faith's eyes. As Faith gazed back, she saw the same thing and it shocked her to the core. Quickly stepping back and recovering herself, Buffy wiped the unshed tears from her eyes and smiled over at Faith.

"So room 17, huh?" She said as they continued walking. Faith simply nodded, still too stunned from the their previous interaction to form a complete sentence. "You know, I told Giles we would handle this, but now that we're here...how are we going to handle this?" Buffy asked, suddenly realizing she had no plan.

"That's a good point. I mean, they have the guns after all," Faith pondered.

"I guess we could always just knock on the door," Buffy said lamely. Faith looked over at her and shook her head.

"Well, that wins plan of the year," she said sarcastically. "I say we kick the door in, catch 'em off guard, and tell 'em real nice like not to let the door hit them on the ass on the way outta town."

Buffy smiled. "Now that sounds like a plan." Moving toward the motel room door, they took their positions as Buffy silently counted down from five. Then, simultaneously, they slammed their feet into the door, busting it inwards. The Council members scrambled away from the flying door, covering their faces to protect from the splintering pieces of wood.

"Hello boys," Buffy said, strolling into the room with Faith in tow. "Always good to see you."

Faith quickly grabbed their guns, most of which were lying about the room. Unarmed and completely defenseless against two irate slayers, the assassins grimaced, hating their odds of surviving the confrontation unscathed. "Now that we have your attention...," Faith began.

"We'd just like to say that we don't particularly appreciate your little shows this morning. And if you try it again, I'll shove my stake so far up your ass, you'll be shitting splinters from now until the end of the world," Buffy said menacingly. "So go back to England and tell the Council we don't want to see any one even vaguely resembling a Council member in this town ever again. We _will_ bring this fight to your doorstep," Buffy said, looking each of the frightened men squarely in the eye.

Faith stood back, watching Buffy threaten them with an amused expression on her face. She was certain the boys had been expecting these kinds of threats from Faith, not from her golden haired counterpart. "And if you think that's bad," Faith added. "Just of imagine what I'll do to you."

Buffy and Faith left the hurricane struck motel room rather pleased with themselves. With any luck, the Council would take the hint and leave them alone, though Buffy had a feeling they would be hearing from the higher ups for their little demonstration. Hopefully it wouldn't be in the form of a machine gun attack again.

"I don't know about you, but I'm hungry," Faith declared suddenly. "Feel like ribs?"

Notes: Inspiration seemed to strike today, hence the surge of updates. Thanks for the reviews and keep 'em coming.


	12. Telling Dawn

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Buffy and Faith left the hurricane struck motel room rather pleased with themselves. With any luck, the Council would take the hint and leave them alone, though Buffy had a feeling they would be hearing from the higher ups for their little demonstration. Hopefully it wouldn't be in the form of a machine gun attack again.

"I don't know about you, but I'm hungry," Faith declared suddenly. "Feel like ribs?"

Chapter Eleven:

The kitchen was eerily quiet as Faith and Joyce stood side by side washing dishes. Buffy and Joyce had just finished explaining to Dawn about The Key. After some fierce denial and screaming, Dawn had fled to the safety of her room in tears. Remembering Kara's warning that Dawn had ran off into the night and nearly gotten killed after finding out about what she was in her timeline, Buffy stood watch outside Dawn's door. Faith had encouraged Buffy to give Dawn some time, though strongly suggested that if she decided to talk to her, not to treat her like a child. Dawn was old enough to understand the world and all of the horrible things in it.

Joyce passed Faith a plate to dry. Looking at the older woman out of the corner of her eye, Faith wondered how to broach the subject of her inevitable brain tumor. Kara had assigned Faith the task of somehow getting Joyce to go to the hospital sooner than she would have originally. While Faith favored simply dragging the woman out to the car and taking her there herself, Kara thought subtlety might work a bit better.

Joyce looked exhausted, the tiny wrinkles around her eyes seeming to weigh down her face. Faith thought about telling her that, but then remembered Kara had also mentioned some about tactfulness. She and Kara had a very strange relationship; though Faith felt a keen maternal protectiveness of the girl, it was Kara who seemed to nurture and almost mother Faith. They were like two sides of a coin, both totally different in some respects, yet of the same mold. Faith had often thought about asking Kara how they knew each other in the future, but knew the girl wouldn't answer her.

"So Faith, how are you doing with all of this?" Joyce suddenly asked, breaking the silence that had held the room captive for so long. She had been present that afternoon in the Magic Box when Faith apologized to all of Buffy's friends and knew that it had been quite difficult for the dark haired slayer.

"Five by five," Faith responded almost automatically, drying the plate in her hand with methodic precision. Joyce raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Of course, you're always five by five," she said, handing Faith another plate.

Faith paused for a second before taking it, mulling over Joyce's words. She had always shut down before she could reveal anything about herself to other people. It was dangerous to reveal any weaknesses, both as a slayer and as a person. For years, the idea that weakness was the greatest sin had been beaten into her. However, the last few months had given her a new perspective on life and she found herself wanting to give in every once in a while.

"Someone's gotta be," Faith whispered to herself, though Joyce faintly heard her. Snapping out of the daze she had fallen into, Faith turned and looked at Joyce. "So how're you?" She asked, finally finding her perfect segue way.

"Oh, you know, just a bit freaked out and a little tired," Joyce responded. "It's one thing to learn your daughter is a vampire slayer, but it's entirely another thing to learn your other daughter is a mystical key thousands of years old."

Faith smirked. "I can imagine," she said, then thoughtfully added, "Tired a lot?"

Joyce thought for a moment. "Yeah, I suppose it's the headaches I've been getting recently. There's so much work at the gallery. I guess I've been a little stressed out lately," she admitted.

"Maybe you should go get checked out," Faith suggested casually.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Joyce said dismissively. Faith smiled, tossing her dish towel on the counter as Joyce finished drying the last dish herself.

"You never know," Faith answered, giving Joyce something to think about as she left the kitchen.

Buffy slowly opened the door to Dawn's room. She had sat outside in the hallway for nearly a half hour, debating whether to talk to her sister or simply leave her alone with her thoughts. Finally, she decided to try talking to her again. "Hey Dawn," she said as she approached her sister's bed. Dawn was sitting with her knees pulled up around her chest and a stuffed bear clutched close to her heart. Buffy could see tear stains on her cheeks, though she had stopped crying and was, more or less, just staring into space.

Buffy crawled onto the bed next to her, emulating Dawn's position. Resting her head on her knees, Buffy looked over at the girl next to her. "It's weird, huh? Finding out that you're this whole other person than you thought you were," Buffy said, recalling the day she found out that she was a vampire slayer with this grand destiny to fight and destroy all of the evil in the world.

"But I'm not a person though. I'm a key. I'm a thing," Dawn said disdainfully, clutching the bear tighter.

"That's not true, Dawn. You've got a key inside of you, that much is true. It's in there somewhere. But that's not all you are," Buffy said gently. "Look at Angel, for instance. Angel has a demon locked inside of him, but that's not all he is. He's also a champion, a protector, _a person_. Just like you."

Buffy could see that she was getting through to Dawn little by little. The walls inside of her eyes were slowly breaking down. She knew Dawn would spend years trying to deal with the ramifications of who she was, but Buffy was confident that, for the moment, she would be okay. "Thanks Buffy," Dawn said looking over at her sister and shooting her a cautious smile. Buffy smiled back and slung her arm around Dawn's shoulder, pulling her in for a hug.

"Remember: I don't care what you are, you're always gonna be my sister," Buffy said as she pulled away. "I'll be downstairs with mom and Faith if you need anything, okay?"

As Buffy left the room, closing the door behind her, she breathed a sigh of relief. She had been dreading talking with Dawn about the Key and what it all meant. Now that it was over, she felt more confident that she and the others could handle whatever came their way next. Padding down the stairs, Buffy pushed open the kitchen door, surprised to see only her mother sitting at the kitchen table. Joyce had a crossword puzzle spread out in front of her and seemed in the throws of bitter concentration.

"Where's Faith?" Buffy asked, leaning over the table and peering down at her mother's answers.

"In the living room, watching TV," Joyce responded, smiling warmly at her oldest daughter. "You know, I was thinking. If we cleared the basement out a little, spruced it up, it would kinda nice down there," Joyce intimated. Buffy looked at her confused for a moment, before a wide smile covered her face.

"You want me to ask Faith to move in with us?"

Joyce shrugged, smiling. "I'm sure Kara and Callum take good care of her, but it's nice having her around. Besides, I can only imagine the junk they feed her."

Buffy nodded, knowing full well that neither Kara nor Callum possessed much in the way of culinary skills. "I'll ask her tonight. She can stay in my room until we get things fixed up," Buffy suggested and then eagerly bolted out of the kitchen to find Faith. Joyce chuckled to herself, glancing back down at her crossword puzzle. She had a sharp pain in her head and felt slightly dizzy. "Maybe I should see a doctor," she said to herself, writing a note to make an appointment the following day.


	13. The Plan

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Joyce chuckled to herself, glancing back down at her crossword puzzle. She had a sharp pain in her head and felt slightly dizzy. "Maybe I should see a doctor," she said to herself, writing a note to make an appointment the following day.

Chapter Twelve:

"Okay, no way in hell Cyclops is better than Wolverine," Xander argued, giving the somewhat gangly Englishman sitting across from him an incredulous look. "I mean, hello, metal claws. How cool is that?"

"It is cool, I'll give you that much," Callum argued back. "But from the stand point of weaponry and attack advantage, Cyclops clearly comes out on top. He can shoot laser beams from his eyes at great distances. Wolverine, on the other hand, has to get within a few feet of his opponents before he can do any real damage. I rest my case," Callum declared, sitting back triumphantly.

"I still think he's cooler," Xander mumbled in defeat, though smiling. He clearly didn't have enough male friends, Spike most definitely not qualifying, Riley mostly hanging out with Buffy, and Giles seeming as more of a father figure than friend. It was nice to have another guy around for him to talk to, as Anya usually got quite bored when he went off on the X-Men or any other comic book hero.

"So what do you all do for fun around here?" Callum asked, remembering the days he had spent partying and going to concerts without a care in the world. While Kara had survived the first apocalyptic battle and many after that, Callum hadn't, nor had he been aware that demons and vampires even existed before the world came tumbling down. He had lived quite a normal life. Sharing a flat with a couple of his mates, he spent most of his days peddling "off the back of the truck" merchandise on street corners. At night, he and his friends would go to bars or clubs and get wasted while listening to some ridiculously horrid band wail away on stage. But it all seemed quite extraordinary to him at the time. He fancied that he had grown a bit since then, though he wouldn't mind knocking a few back with Xander, as long as Kara didn't find out.

Xander and Anya both looked at each other before responding together, "The Bronze."

"The Bronze is Sunnydale's premier night club," Xander said somewhat mockingly. "We went there in high school, we still go there now."

Callum smiled. "So not much to do then, yeah? Oh well, I guess we got enough save the world crap to keep us busy a while."

"Pretty much. Just a non stop demon Ferris wheel here in good 'ol Sunnydale," Xander replied as the bell over the Magic Box door jingled into life. Kara sauntered into the store, smiling warmly at the group of people gathered inside, with Spike in tow.

"Uh, what's he doing here?" Xander asked.

"Spike is gonna be hanging around a lot from here on out," Kara answered. "So get used to it. We need his help and honestly, he's not that bad of a guy."

Xander snorted, but stayed quiet. Spike stood beside Kara with a 'cat that ate the canary' smile on his face that Xander wished he could beat off. "Giles, I think now's a good a time as any to go over what we know about Glory," Kara said, turning to the man she had called a grandfather what seemed like ages ago. "And Spike will be joining us," Kara added, much to Giles's disdain.

"Very well," he said resignedly. Though he doubted Spike's usefulness and willingness to cooperate with them, he had to trust that Kara knew what she was doing. If Spike had been particularly helpful in the future, maybe he could be now as well.

"Don't worry all," Spike said smugly. "I'll take good care of you."

Kara sighed and glared over at her vampire counterpart. He hadn't been this arrogant in her timeline, though he had never been docile. Dawn had socialized him a bit while they were together. It would take some getting used to, but Kara hoped he would lay off once the novelty of his new found position in the Scoobies wore off. "Come on," she said, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him into the back training area with Giles.

Closing the door on the front of the store, the three sat down at a small table Giles had set up. Opening a blank journal, Giles picked up a pen and prepared to write. "Start at the beginning. I want to know everything that's supposed to happen. Try to remember every detail, they could be exceedingly important," he stressed. "And are you sure Spike should be here for this? Buffy won't particularly like it," he added feebly.

Kara smiled at his attempt. "I know. I've already told Spike about Dawn and The Key. I trust him, even if none of you do. It doesn't take a curse or a spell to win back a soul," Kara said thoughtfully. "All you need is the determination to do what's right. Spike's had many opportunities to rain chaos on Sunnydale. You think a little chip could stop that? He doesn't need to be able to hurt people to destroy the world. He simply saw an opportunity to be something more than he was and he took it," Kara said in his defense. "I've entrusted Spike with the responsibility of protecting Dawn," Kara added, though she knew he would ultimately fail in that regard if things proceeded the way they had before.

"As you wish," Giles acquiesced. Glancing over at the demon sitting across from him, he still harbored his doubts, but wondered how Kara could see what he clearly could not. Was it that Spike had her fooled or was he really on a path to win back his own soul, a path of righteousness? Either way, Giles was determined to keep a careful watch on the vampire.

"Okay. This is a long story," Kara said, sitting back in her chair and closing her eyes, dredging up in her mind every story she had ever been told about Sunnydale. "To begin with, Riley needs to see a doctor as soon as possible. As a result of his programming at the Initiative, his heart isn't quite right," Kara said. "Now, onto Glory. She's known as The Beast. Obviously, she can appear as a human. Curly blonde hair, kinda pretty, complete bitch. She's really strong and has some sanity issues. In order to keep her mind straight, she has to suck the sanity out of other people," Kara said and was rewarded by looks of disgust from both Spike and Giles.

"How the bloody hell does that work?" Spike asked.

"Well, she doesn't suck the sanity out per say. She more like sticks her hand in your head and forms a connection between her mind and yours," Kara added. "Glory knows that the slayer is protecting The Key, so she'll be periodically sending demons out to try to kill or capture Buffy."

"Buffy may have a problem with are the Lei-Ach demons. See, Tara's family has this old wives tale that all of the women in the family turn into demons on their twentieth birthday," Kara said.

"Way to keep 'em in check, yeah?" Spike added.

Kara nodded. "It's not true, obviously. But Tara doesn't know that, yet. She performed a spell in my world that would keep you all from seeing her demon side. However, that also keep everyone from seeing any demons at all, so when the Lei-Ach demons attacked, no one could see them. We can prevent that whole catastrophe though," Kara said.

"The next demon is the Spawn of Sobek. He's this giant snake like creature that Glory conjures to snuff out The Key, which it does. Buffy was able to kill it before it could report back to Glory, but it was a close call and one I'd rather avoid," Kara paused for a moment, wondering how much she wanted to reveal to Giles. If she prevented Glory from brain sucking Tara, Glory wouldn't find out that Dawn was The Key. Though on the surface that seemed like a good thing, Kara didn't want to change too many of the events that were supposed to happen, otherwise, things could turn out much differently than she expected.

When she saw Spike strolling toward the Magic Box that evening, she decided it was time to clue him in on some things. She told him everything she knew about Glory and Dawn and the way things were supposed to turn out if no one interfered. Though Spike wasn't happy with her plan, he supported it and her. Glancing over at him, she could see that he was thinking the same things.

"Giles, before I say anything more...I need you to understand something. If I change every bad thing that is supposed to happen, we won't know anything about the future anymore. In the end, Glory captures Dawn and Buffy has to sacrifice herself to close the portal. Willow, Xander, Tara, and Anya resurrect her, pulling her out of Heaven, and causing Buffy some serious mental issues," Kara said. "But if we keep Glory from capturing Dawn, I won't know how to stop her. I know how to save Dawn and Buffy, but only the way is if things happen as they did before."

Giles sat back in his chair, removing his glasses and cleaning them thoughtfully. Though he didn't want to put Buffy or Joyce through the pain of Glory capturing Dawn, but he could see Kara's point. "You're certain we can stop Glory from opening the portal?" He asked gravely. Kara nodded.

"How does it happen?"

"Glory brain sucks Tara. Tara then accidentally reveals to Glory that Dawn is The Key. Buffy decides that the best plan of action is to hit the road before Glory can find Dawn, but the Knights of Byzantium thwart the escape. Giles, you're wounded, and everyone takes refuge in an old gas station. The Knights surround the building, but Buffy captures their leader and holds him hostage, using him to barter for a doctor. She calls Ben because she knows him from her own hospital experiences," Kara explained before being cut off by Giles.

"Ben? I'm sorry, who is he?" He asked in confusion.

Kara stared at him for a moment. She knew she had explained all about Glory and Ben to the Scoobies not long ago. How could he have forgotten already? Then it dawned on her. Glory was using magics to keep her relationship to Ben a secret. Kara smiled. "Just an acquaintance of Buffy's. No one important," she said. Spike looked over at her, knowing she was lying, but remained silent. "Anyway, Glory comes and takes Dawn. Then Glory has all of the crazy people she brain sucked build her tower where she can perform the ritual to open the portal. The night of the ritual, you guys set Tara loose and she immediately goes to the tower," Kara paused. The Scoobies had used the Buffybot Spike had Warren build in their attack against Glory. With Spike no longer lusting after the blonde slayer, hopefully anyway, there wouldn't be a Buffybot.

Skipping all that, she continued. "Buffy and Willow fight Glory, Willow using magic and Buffy, obviously, her fists. With Faith and I here, this part should be a bit easier on everyone. Willow also uses magic to restore Tara's sanity. She uses black magic, however, and eventually becomes addicted to it. We can prevent all of that by researching a better spell for her to use after the battle. Anyway, Buffy defeats Glory and you kill Ben so she doesn't have to. But, during all of this, a follower of Glory went up into the tower and cut Dawn, letting her blood open the portal. No one could stop it and Buffy had figured out by this point that since she and Dawn share the same blood, Buffy could close the portal by sacrificing herself. Which she did. End of story," Kara said, taking a deep breath.

"I'll begin researching a spell for Willow and contact Riley about his heart. When I get a chance, I'll have a talk with Tara about her demon issues," Giles said, immediately formulating plans. "We should keep a careful eye on Glory, make sure things progress as they did before. If she finds out about Dawn in some other way, it could destroy what chance we have of stopping her," Giles stated.

Looking over at Kara, he had a sudden, newfound respect for the young woman. She had many difficult decisions laid out before her, but he felt she was choosing admirably. He knew Buffy wouldn't be pleased that Kara was willing to allow Glory the chance at capturing Dawn, but he understood that it was their only way of saving her. He just hoped Buffy would understand that as well.

"I think that's all we need to cover for tonight. Spike," Giles said turning to the vampire. "Would you keep watch over Glory, see what she's doing, who she's contacting. Report back here tomorrow."

Spike nodded and left, eager despite himself. Giles took in the tired looking girl sitting across from him and smiled warmly. "Go get some rest. There's nothing more we can do tonight," he said. Kara smiled gratefully in return. Rising to her feet, she quickly stretched and walked out into the main room of the Magic Box.

Turning to Callum, she asked, "Walk me home?"

Note: Sorry if most of this was just a recap of Season 5, but I wanted to kind of lay the plan out there.


	14. Confessions

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Spike nodded and left, eager despite himself. Giles took in the tired looking girl sitting across from him and smiled warmly. "Go get some rest. There's nothing more we can do tonight," he said. Kara smiled gratefully in return. Rising to her feet, she quickly stretched and walked out into the main room of the Magic Box.

Chapter Thirteen:

The late morning sun was shining down on Faith, warming her face as she stood in the backyard of Buffy's house stretching her legs. Several weeks had passed since Buffy and Joyce invited her to live with them. While she immensely enjoyed the company of the three Summers women, she was pleased to find that during the day, she mostly had the house to herself. Though Kara and Callum had been sad about her moving out, they quickly found a new roommate in Spike, who jumped at the opportunity of living in a real house instead of a leaky crypt.

Dawn was slowly coming around, beginning to ask questions about the power she bore inside and eager to learn more about what she could do with it. Faith imagined that though it came as a shock to her, Dawn was happy to join the ranks of the supernaturally inclined, if only so that she would never feel left out. The four women had found a comfortable routine together. Faith, though never quite a morning person, did rise earlier than the rest of the house, and had breakfast waiting for them in the kitchen every morning. While Buffy, Joyce, and Dawn had been shocked the first morning, they were quickly learning that there was far more than met the eye when it came to Faith.

Things were beginning to happen on the Glory front and each day that passed, Faith noticed Kara looking more and more stressed out. Buffy and Faith's first fight with Glory hadn't gone so well, though Faith had been prepared for that result. Buffy was still optimistic, despite Kara's warnings, that she and Faith could take on Glory. An ass kicking and one dead monk later, Buffy realized that she had far underestimated her ditzy opponent. Faith could tell her sister slayer was bummed about losing so badly, but wasn't quite sure how to reassure her.

Faith often got frustrated with herself for how little she knew of the dynamics of friendship. When things were good, she knew exactly how to act. But when things started to take a turn for the worse, Faith had no idea how to cheer anyone up. Though her attempts were fumbled at best, Faith could tell Buffy appreciated her effort. While Willow still refused to acknowledge her, Faith found herself getting along exceedingly well with Spike, Tara, and Xander. Though she liked Anya, the ex-vengeance demon was sometimes a bit much for her to handle.

Heeding Faith's casual advice, Joyce had visited a doctor. She hadn't told Buffy or Dawn yet about the brain tumor the doctors discovered, but she had told Faith, trusting her to keep the secret. She was scheduled to go in for surgery the next week and had been planning on telling Buffy and Dawn that night after dinner. Kara had been exceedingly relieved when Faith told her about Joyce's progress. Under Kara's theory, which Faith desperately hoped succeeded, if Joyce had the tumor removed earlier than before, the chances of her having another aneurysm would be significantly lessened. With Faith around the house during the day, Kara was confident if anything did happen, they would catch it in time.

Sighing, Faith lowered herself to the ground, stretching her legs out in front of her and reaching for her toes, which she easily captured. Closing her eyes, she let the sun burrow deep inside her skin, warming her from the inside out. Though the passed few weeks had been some of the best of her life, Faith couldn't stop the lingering sadness living in her eyes from rearing up. She had met Buffy's current boyfriend, Riley, or "farm boy" as she liked to call him, and instantly developed a dislike for the corn fed Iowa boy. While mostly her dislike emanated from the intense feelings of jealousy she had whenever she saw the two of them together, she also had a general bad feeling about him.

Faith laid back on the grass, stretching her legs out in front of her. The grass was cool on her skin, wrapping her in a gentle embrace. She could feel herself slowly succumbing to the lore of sleep when a shadow blocked out the sun. Grumbling slightly, she opened her eyes to see Buffy standing over top of her with an amused expression on her face. "What?" Faith asked, sitting up.

"Oh, nothing. Just didn't think 'laying out in the grass' and 'Faith' went together," Buffy said playfully. Faith smirked.

"Well, you weren't supposed to be home," she answered. "And not that I mind, but why are you home?" Faith still couldn't believe that she, the girl who had lived out of motels for a greater part of her life, was using the word home in a sentence referring to her own.

"Class let out early. Figured I'd drop by and see what my favorite slayer is up to," Buffy replied, joining Faith on the ground.

"Favorite slayer, huh? Too bad I'm the only other slayer you know," Faith teased. Buffy smiled, though weakly. Faith watched her for a moment. Buffy seemed nervous, twisting her hands around in her lap and looking anywhere but at Faith. "Okay, what's the what? You look like you're gonna have a stroke," Faith said playfully, though inside she was starting to panic. What if Buffy wanted her to leave?

Buffy instantly saw the fear spring up in Faith's eyes, before the dark slayer was able to suppress it, and smiled reassuringly. "I just wanted to talk to you about something is all," she said, not quite sure how to begin. She had spent most of the passed several weeks dancing around the mounting attraction she felt for her counterpart. Shooting through denial and breezing her way into unrequited, obsessive desire, Buffy had finally admitted to herself that she was indeed in love with the former rogue slayer. However, she had absolutely no idea how Faith felt about her.

In all of her stories about her various sexual exploits, Faith had never mentioned being involved with a woman, which led Buffy back to her most basest concern: she had never been involved with a woman either. She wasn't concerned about the social implications of loving another woman so much as her own insecurities. Though she knew her friends might have an adverse reaction to any sort of romantic relationship she and Faith could have, she didn't really care. She knew her mom, Dawn, and Giles would accept it, and that was all that mattered to her.

Of course, the big question was finding out how Faith felt about her. Gazing over at the dark slayer, Buffy took a deep breath and decided to take the plunge. "So...I have this problem," Buffy started.

Faith suddenly looked panicky, but for an entirely different reason. She had just been contemplating her inadequacies at consoling people or offering advice and now Buffy was going expect some sort of intelligent response. "Not that I don't appreciate you comin' to me, B, but wouldn't Red be better for this?"

Buffy smiled. "No, not really," she said, laughing slightly.

Faith was a bit confused, but shrugged. "Alright."

"See, this problem I have...is that I have these feelings for this person, but I'm not sure if this person feels anything for me," Buffy said, not quite sure if she was going about this the right way.

_Well at least she's not really in love with Farm Boy_, Faith thought to herself with a sigh. "So, who is it?" Faith asked, honestly curious.

Buffy paused for a moment, her mouth suddenly drier than a desert. "You."

Note: I couldn't help but leave it at a cliffhanger, though I'm sure you can figure out how this will turn out on your own. Just seemed like the perfect time to end the chapter. Anyway, many thanks for the reviews and keep 'em coming.


	15. To be Happy & Seeing Red

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

_Well at least she's not really in love with Farm Boy_, Faith thought to herself with a sigh. "So, who is it?" Faith asked, honestly curious.

Buffy paused for a moment, her mouth suddenly drier than a desert. "You."

Chapter Fourteen:

Faith blinked several times, staring at Buffy, convinced that she had fallen asleep on the grass and this was some sort of dream. "Could you repeat that?" Faith asked finally, just to make sure she understood clearly.

"I'm in love with you," Buffy said a second time, her anxiety rising with each second that Faith continued to stare at her with a blank mix of shock and...well, shock. "Say something?" Buffy pleaded, not quite ready to regret telling the dark haired slayer, but speedily approaching that point. Faith suddenly brilliantly smiled and started laughing, much to Buffy's confusion, irritation, and amusement. "Okay, what's so funny about that?" Buffy demanded, irritation winning out.

"Nothing," Faith responded, trying to kill her laughter as she saw Buffy clearly not appreciating it. "I just thought you were gonna kick me out or start rambling on about this great new guy you met."

"Why would I kick you out?" Buffy asked. "I would never kick you out."

Faith gave her a lopsided smile. "Just indulge my raging insecurities, okay B?" Faith answered, then grew serious. Reaching over, she took Buffy's hand in hers and gently pulled the golden haired slayer closer. Gazing into her eyes, Faith was amazed at the myriad of colors and emotions layered behind them. Though she had never known the meaning of hesitation, Faith found herself slowly tracing her free hand up Buffy's neck, cupping the side of her face. Leaning forward slowly, she captured Buffy's lips with her own. The kiss was gentle, a mutual exploration that stirred their longing. When Faith pulled away, she grinned at the dazed and content look on Buffy's face.

"I've been in love with you the moment I saw you outside the Bronze, B. Just never had the guts to say it," Faith said lowly, her voice husky with desire. It sent shivers down Buffy's spine.

"Pansy," Buffy teased, smiling so hard she thought her face might split in two. "So this is what it's like to be happy," Buffy whispered to herself, just loud enough for Faith to catch with her slayer hearing.

"Yeah, must be," Faith answered. Pulling Buffy into her lap, their lips crashed together. Faith slipped her tongue into Buffy's mouth and both moaned at the contact, falling deeper and deeper into their embrace until the world around them ceased to exist.

...............................

Riley stood at the window in the kitchen of the Summers house with his fists clenched at his sides and a grim look of hatred on his face. He watched as Buffy and Faith confessed their love and kissed on the grass in the back yard. Riley wasn't a stupid man, he had felt Buffy spinning further and further away from him, just like he felt his life was slowly falling apart around him. Now, however, there was a reason. Riley glared at the dark haired slayer, anger bubbling up inside him. There was no way he would lose his girlfriend to that psychotic whore without a serious fight.

.....................................

"I've figured it out," Spike said rather proudly as he sauntered into the kitchen. Kara sat at the table, lost in thought with a cold mug of tea in front of her. Turning, she watched the vampire carefully tiptoeing through the room to avoid the sunlight before plopping down in a chair across from her.

"Figured what out, Spike?" Kara asked, not entirely sure she wanted to know.

"It's the Nibblet," Spike said significantly, leaning forward.

Kara stared at him blankly for a few moments. "What's the Nibblet? And who the hell is the Nibblet?"

Spike sighed in frustration and leaned back. "Dawn. It's Dawn. You told me to think about who comes to mind when I forget about Buffy. It's the Nibblet," Spike responded. "And now she just comes to mind all the time and I don't even think about the slayer anymore."

Kara smiled to herself. "Uh huh. So what do you think about her?"

"What do you mean?" Spike asked, lighting up a cigarette.

"Must you do that in the house?" Kara whined. Spike simply raised an eyebrow and inhaled, blowing the smoke out through his nose. "Fine. Think real hard here, Spike. When you think about Dawn, what do you feel?"

Spike's face scrunched up in concentration as he thought, which Kara found entirely too adorable. "Well...happy," Spike replied after several agonizingly silent minutes. Kara smiled knowingly.

"Remember that. She's a bit young and Buffy would kill you" –

"Wait just a bloody second," Spike said suddenly, flying forward. "I'm destined to fall in love with Dawn?"

Kara sighed, nearly banging her head on the table. "God, you are so dense sometimes," she muttered. "Yeah. Is it really that shocking?"

Spike thought for a moment and then shrugged. "I suppose not," he said and then smiled with a mischievous gleam in his eye. "The slayer's gonna kill me."

....................................................

Glory closed her eyes and slowly counted to ten, trying to dispel the murderous rage from rising up again. Her minions stood cowering before her, all desperately trying to placate her back into a blissfully pleasant mood. It wasn't working. "Okay, listen up boys," she said through gritted teeth. She really hated this world. "I'm gonna say this one more time, then heads are gonna roll. Find me the key. Find me someone who knows about the key. Find me anything to do with the key. Shit, find me a friend of a friend's cousin who at one point in time knew a girl who heard the words 'the' and 'key' in the same sentence! And do it now."


	16. Surgery

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Glory closed her eyes and slowly counted to ten, trying to dispel the murderous rage from rising up again. "Find me the key. And do it now."

Chapter Fifteen:

Glory studied the spread of surveillance photos laid out before her, her eyes lingering on each face as her minions scrambled to explain the significance of each person. "This is good," Glory said happily. "Now, do me a favor. Show me the new people." The minions brushed away several photographs until all that was left before her was a collection of grainy, hurried shots of Spike, Kara, Callum, Faith, and Tara.

"These, oh splendiferous being of power and beauty, are all the people the slayer has taken into her company as of late. Each she protects, however," the minion said, pointing to one of the photographs and licking his crusty lips in excitement, "this one she appears to protect above all others."

"You know, I really thought you guys would screw this up," Glory said turning toward the mass of minions gathered before her. "I gotta say, I'm impressed. Bring me the girl."

.........................................

"You really think this is gonna work?" Faith asked for about the billionth time. She sat at the island in the kitchen of the Summers house, her leg bouncing nervously, with Kara and Callum watching her intently. Joyce, Buffy, and Dawn had left for the hospital a few hours ago. Glancing at the clock, Faith noted that Joyce would be going in for surgery within the half hour.

Kara sighed. "Yes, it's gonna work. You seriously need to chill out," she said. Though frustrated with the obviously anxious slayer seated across from her, she understood her mother's concern.

"I'm chill," Faith replied defensively. Kara smirked.

"Yeah, okay," she responded sarcastically.

"You think the old bird's got any of the hard stuff around here?" Callum asked, jumping to his feet and searching the kitchen cabinets for something to drink.

"I would doubt it," Kara said. This time, it was Faith who smirked.

"Under the sink," she said as Kara raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Come on, she's gotta live with three teenage girls, you don't think she's got some liquor around to dull the edge?" Faith replied jokingly.

Callum located a bottle of vodka and turned back to the girls, grinning from ear to ear. "I say we get completely sloshed and forget all about Glory and apocalypses and surgeries and every other blasted thing in this ridiculous little world," Callum announced, pulling three glasses out of the cabinet and setting them down on the island. Filling each, he set the bottle down and picked up his glass, proposing a toast. "To second chances," he said, emptying the glass in one swift motion.

Kara and Faith followed his lead, each grinning at the fire that rose up in their throats from the alcohol. The phone suddenly rang, making all three jump. "Hello?" Faith asked, reaching over and plucking the phone off the receiver. "Sure, I'll be right there," Faith said and hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" Kara asked, pouring both her and Callum another glass.

"Red, said something about meeting her behind the Magic Box to talk about things. I'll be back in a few," Faith said, grabbing her jacket off the chair and disappearing out of the back door.

"Well, hopefully they'll be making up then," Callum said, sitting heavily back down in his chair next to Kara.

"Yeah, hopefully," Kara replied and turned to look him, surprised to find her face only inches from his.

...............................................

Willow hung up the phone, glancing back Riley, who stood only a few feet behind her. "She'll be here," Willow said. "Why couldn't you just call her yourself?" She asked, her tone light and casual. Her eyes drifted over Riley, from his pale face to his fidgeting hands, and she was instantly suspicious. She wasn't particularly fond of Faith, but she didn't want to see anything happen to her either. Though she didn't believe Riley would ever hurt Faith, she couldn't help but wonder why the ex-soldier wanted to meet with Faith in the first place, and why he couldn't arrange it himself.

"You know Faith. She doesn't like me too much. I don't think she would've come if I had called. I just want to talk to her about keeping an eye on Buffy for me, what with all of this stuff happening with her mom," Riley responded, his voice also pleasant despite the rage of emotions coiling in his stomach.

Willow nodded, accepting his answer. "Well, I'm meeting Tara for lunch. See ya later?" She asked, giving Riley another quick glance before leaving the Magic Box.

Riley watched her go, then slipped into the training room and out of the back door. Positioning himself behind a dumpster in the alley that led to the Magic Box, he waited for Faith. His hands wouldn't stop shaking and they drifted up to the bulge in his jacket. Riley smiled.


	17. Seeing Stars

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: I'm trying to separate the sections, but nothing I seem to do shows up when I upload the document. I apologize if it's a bit difficult to follow.

Previously:

"You know, I really thought you guys would screw this up," Glory said turning toward the mass of minions gathered before her. "I gotta say, I'm impressed. Bring me the girl."

"Yeah, hopefully," Kara replied and turned to look at Callum, surprised to find her face only inches from his.

Riley watched her go, then slipped into the training room and out of the back door. Positioning himself behind a dumpster in the alley that led to the Magic Box, he waited for Faith. His hands wouldn't stop shaking and they drifted up to the bulge in his jacket. Riley smiled.

Chapter Sixteen:

"Hey Nibblet," Spike said appearing as if from no where and seating himself next to Dawn on one of the hard, plastic hospital chairs. "Where's big sis?"

"Getting coffee," Dawn replied, smiling over at the bleached blonde vampire. "Shouldn't you be hiding out from the sun right about now?" Dawn asked.

"I never did like to do things properly," Spike replied. "Besides, I figured you could probably use some company."

Dawn smiled gratefully. "Yeah. Buffy keeps finding things to do to keep busy." Leaning over, Dawn rested her head against Spike's shoulder. The action caught him a bit off guard, but after several moments, he wrapped his arm around her.

Dawn buried her face in Spike's leather jacket, reveling in the smell that was uniquely Spike. Little did she know he was doing the same. "Thanks for coming," Dawn whispered, closing her eyes. "Tell me a story?"

Spike smiled, absently running his hand through her long, brown hair. "Alright then. Once upon a time..."

..................................................

Callum leaned forward, capturing Kara's lips with his own, and sweeping her up in a passionate kiss. They reluctantly broke away when the need for oxygen compelled them. Kara smiled brilliantly and gently traced the contours of his face with her fingertips, lingering on his lips, and tracing his jaw. His eyes never left hers as she continued her ministrations, and Callum felt as if he were drowning in the swirling dark of her eyes. They were almost black with desire, yet he could see sparks of emerald shining in the afternoon sun.

They were both so entranced that when the doorbell rang they nearly fell out of their chairs. Collecting herself, Kara stood and spoke, though barely a whisper, "I better get that." Moving out of the kitchen, she paused as the door swung shut and closed her eyes, smiling with a happiness she hadn't known before. Then she took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and walked to the door.

"Forget your key?" She asked, opening the door expecting to see Faith there. Instead, the doorstep was empty. Curious, Kara stepped outside, walking a bit down the sidewalk, but found no one there. "Okay," she muttered to herself and turned to walk back in the house. From deep inside, she could hear the sounds of a struggle, and something crashing to the floor.

Running back into the house, she passed through the doorway only to have two strong arms wrap around her from behind and pull her backwards. She collided with the wall, her head slamming back. Pain shot through her skull and an explosion of stars burst in front of her eyes. Lifting her hand to the back of her head, her fingers tangled in her hair and came back wet with blood.

"That's not her," a voice said above her. Craning her neck to see who was speaking, Kara was dismayed to find the world spinning around her. She couldn't focus on anything but the pain.

"She's not in the house," another voice said, slightly panicked.

"We can't go back empty handed," the first voice replied. "Let's take her."

Kara felt hands groping at her, lifting her up, and carrying her out of the house. Her eyes rolled back in her head and the last thing she remembered seeing was the blue sky above her and the warm sun shining down on her face.

..................................................

Faith walked down the main drag of downtown Sunnydale, watching as the Magic Box loomed closer. She was a bit nervous about talking with the red haired witch. Though she desperately wanted to make things right between them, she wasn't so sure that was what Willow had in mind. Wrapping her jacket tighter around her lean, yet muscular frame, Faith turned down the alley that led to the back door. She wasn't quite in the mood to deal with Anya or Xander.

She hadn't particularly been paying attention, or she might have noticed Riley step out from behind her as she passed the dumpster. She did, however, hear the tiny click when he pulled the hammer back on his gun. Faith froze. "Red?" She asked, turning around slowly.

"Think again," Riley said, leveling the gun to her chest. Confusion flashed through Faith's eyes and he smirked. "What? Did you really think I'd let you take Buffy from me? You're nothing. You're a piece of shit, a trailer park whore. You don't deserve her," Riley spat, stepping closer.

Faith could practically see the rage spilling off him. For one of the few times in her life, she was genuinely afraid. Riley on a good day couldn't touch her, but Riley with a gun could kill her. "What do you want?" She asked cautiously, slowly raising her hands in a gesture of defeat.

"What do I want?" Riley asked, almost incredulous. "I want you gone."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Faith said, her voice calm and steady though she could feel her hands shaking.

Riley smiled, his white teeth flashing and his eyes lighting up with a devious gleam. "I can."

Faith heard the shot ring out in the alley just before the bullet slammed into her chest. Stumbling backwards, she glanced down at her shirt, watching in a sort of morbid fascination as blood began to seep out and spread across the fabric. Then she fell and seemed to fall forever before hitting the pavement. The impact knocked the air out of her lungs and for a few moments, she couldn't breathe at all. Then the coppery taste of blood filled her mouth.

She heard the pounding of Riley's feet vibrating through the concrete and the screech of the backdoor of the Magic Box slamming open and hitting the wall. "Oh God," Anya said, rushing over to where Faith lay in a pool of her own blood. "Xander!" She yelled back at the store, kneeling down beside Faith and pressing her hands against the wound. Xander appeared through the doorway, freezing when he saw Faith. "Call an ambulance," Anya instructed, but he didn't move. "Xander," she said lowly, catching his attention. "Go inside and call an ambulance."

Xander nodded and ran back into the store. "You're gonna be okay," Anya told Faith. "Just hang on."

....................................................

Kara, Spike, and Mason ran forever, their legs pounding into the ground and the muscles tearing and stretching beyond their capability. Night fell as they entered the forest and the trees were like giants swaying and moaning in the wind. After a couple of hours, they came across an abandoned cabin. Spike went in first, to make sure there were no demons inside. Upon his signal, Kara and Mason joined him.

"There's some food in the pantry," Spike said. "I think it's edible. And there are some blankets over there."

Kara moved across the room, grabbing a blanketing and motioning for Mason to join her as she wrapped them up and settled into the corner. She could hear Spike moving around in the darkened room, fixing some food for them to eat. Mason looked up at her, his wide, innocent eyes wet and shining. "If you could do anything, what would you do?" He asked.

Kara thought for a moment before responding. "I'd go swimming," she said. "Never done it before, but I always thought it sounded fun. What would you do?" She asked, gazing back down at him.

"Fly away."


	18. Loading up the Cavalry

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"We can't go back empty handed," the first voice replied. "Let's take her."

Kara felt hands groping at her, lifting her up, and carrying her out of the house. Her eyes rolled back in her head and the last thing she remembered seeing was the blue sky above her and the warm sun shining down on her face.

.........................

Xander nodded and ran back into the store. "You're gonna be okay," Anya told Faith. "Just hang on."

Chapter Seventeen:

"Oh, look. She's finally waking up. Here I thought we'd have to wait all freakin' day," Glory muttered sarcastically, sashaying up to Kara, who was chained to a pole in the middle of Glory's bedchamber. "Now, I already know you're not my key. Wasn't too hard to figure out. In fact, you're not even really supposed to be here, are you?" Glory asked, running her fingers down the side of Kara's face, her red painted nails lightly scratching the skin.

"You taste all funny. And there's definitely something off about you. Like the air around you runs in your wake because it knows you don't belong. Everything's afraid to touch you," Glory said contemplatively. Then she smiled. "But I'm not. I'm not afraid of you at all. This may not be my world, but it isn't yours either. No home field advantage for you, nope, we're just two players in some alien dimension without a clue what's going on. But that's okay, because I'll be going home soon."

"Now, somewhere is that head of yours is the information I want," Glory said, her ruby lips curling up in a smile that chilled Kara to the bone. "And either way, I'm gonna get it. So be a good little puppy and tell me what I want to know."

.......................................

"The operation was a complete success. Your mother's resting now, but you'll be able to visit with her in a couple of hours," the doctor said, smiling as Dawn and Buffy collapsed into each other's arms in relief. Spike stood a few feet away, a tiny smile playing on his face. When Buffy pulled the doctor aside to ask some questions, Dawn turned around and squealed, running into Spike's arms.

"She's gonna be okay," Dawn breathed, clutching onto Spike like a life raft.

"I heard," Spike said, gladly returning the hug. "Seems like things are lookin' up, eh Nibblet?"

"You wanna go down to the café with me? I know you can't really eat anything, but" –

"Of course," Spike said, cutting her off. "Not really one for sitting still anyway. Besides, I don't particularly think Buffy's too thrilled with my company," Spike said as the excited fourteen year old grabbed his hand and yanked him down the hallway.

"Thanks again," Buffy said as the doctor gave her a small nod and walked away. Sighing, she looked around the empty waiting room. She had told Faith she and Dawn would be fine on their own, but she desperately wanted her to be here. Glancing over at the bank of pay phones in the corner, Buffy fished a quarter out of her pocket and deposited it in the slot.

She dialed her home number only to have the phone ring several times without answer. Trying again, she dialed the number for the Magic Box. It rang twice before Xander answered. "Hey," Buffy said, wondering why he picked up the phone and not Giles or Anya. "Is Faith there by any chance?"

"Buffy," a voice from behind her said. Turning Buffy saw Giles standing a few feet away.

"Hold on, Xand," Buffy said, covering the receiver with her free hand. "Hey, Giles. What're you doing here?"

"Buffy, I'm afraid there's been an accident," Giles said, slowly approaching her. While Buffy hadn't told Giles about her newfound relationship with Faith, he had easily figured it out.

"I'll call you back," Buffy said, hanging up the phone before Xander could reply. "What happened?"

"Faith was shot outside the Magic Box," Giles said gently. "She's downstairs in surgery in the ER. She was shot in the chest, just a bit to the right of her heart."

The world started spinning around Buffy and she sunk to the floor, Giles immediately rushing to her side. "Oh my God," she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Is she okay? She's alive, right? What have the doctors said?" Buffy asked, the questions shooting out of her mouth.

"We don't know much," Giles admitted. "Anya and I are downstairs. We left Xander at the shop to tell Willow and Tara when they come back. They should be here soon. We couldn't get a hold of Riley," Giles said, placing a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "She needs you to be strong now. I know how much she means to you," he said, smiling at Buffy's 'deer in the headlights' look. "And I'm fine with it. Come on, I'll take you downstairs," Giles said, helping Buffy to her feet.

"Wait, Dawn and Spike are here. I think they went to the café. Someone needs to tell them," Buffy said as Giles led her down the hallway.

"I'll go as soon as you're with Anya," Giles said. "Everything's going to be okay."

...........................

When Callum awoke, the sun was starting to sink in the sky, the late afternoon rays coming in the kitchen window at an odd angle, lighting up the wall in shades of orange and red. "Oh, that's not good," he mumbled to himself as he sat up, rubbing his head. A sharp pain flooded his consciousness and he suppressed the urge to vomit. The last thing he remembered was a group of crusty looking demons in brown robes busting through the back door and knocking him on the head with something rather large and heavy.

Glancing around the room, he noted that he was alone. "Kara!" He yelled out, shakily pulling himself to his feet. Using the kitchen counter for support, he shuffled his way over to the door and stepped out into the hallway. The front door was hanging wide open and he could see a trial of blood splashed down one of the walls. "Oh, this is really not good."

Grabbing his jacket off the coat rack, Callum flung it on and ran out of the door, his feet pounding on the sidewalk, heading toward the Magic Box. When he finally reached his destination, he was completely out of breath and the pounding in his head had drastically increased. He was standing outside the store, doubled over and wheezing, when Tara and Willow walked up. "Hey, you okay?" Willow asked, approaching him with concern.

"Little...brown robed demons...came to the house...took Kara....in big shit...think they work for...Glory," Callum managed to say in between heaves of breath.

"T-this is not good," Tara said, as she and Willow helped maneuver Callum into the Magic Box. The little bell above the door cried out as they entered the surprisingly abandoned store. Xander appeared from the back training room, looking completely stressed out, and with blood staining the front of his shirt.

"Xander! What happened to you?" Willow asked, tore between rushing over to him and helping Callum into a chair. The latter won out and once the lanky Englishman was seated, she rushed over to Xander.

"Just take deep breaths," Tara said, sitting next to Callum.

"Nothing. It's Faith's," he said motioning to the blood on his shirt. "Someone shot her in the alley. Giles and Anya just left with the ambulance and told me to wait for you to come back," Xander said, his voice thick with concern. Willow's face instantly went pale.

"Oh no," she said, stumbling back and falling into a chair.

"What is it, baby?" Tara asked, rushing over to her side. She knelt beside Willow, taking the red-haired witch's hand in hers, and tracing patterns on her skin to calm her.

"Riley. Riley shot her," Willow declared. "He came in here a few minutes before I left and asked me to call Faith and tell her to come to the back room of the Magic Box. He told me to say I wanted to talk to her. I thought it was a little weird, but he said Faith wouldn't come if he called himself. Said he wanted to talk to her about looking after Buffy. He seemed really twitchy though, like he was nervous about something. I should've known," Willow said, mentally kicking herself. "If she dies, it's my fault," she whispered.

"No, it's not," Xander said forcefully, also kneeling beside her. "If Riley shot her, it's Riley's fault. You couldn't have known what he was going to do. Let's just go to the hospital and we'll figure out what to do from there, okay?"

"I hate to interrupt," Callum said. "But we have bigger problems."

"How so?" Xander asked, turning toward his friend.

"Glory took Kara. Kara knows where the key is. I imagine Glory's figured that out. We need to get her out before Glory breaks her," Callum said, rising to his feet. The world was spinning a bit, but he was determined.

"Why don't we know where the key is?" Willow asked, suddenly feeling a bit hurt that Buffy didn't think it necessary to share that piece of information with them. Callum sighed.

"I'm not really supposed to tell you," he said hesitating.

"Come on, man. We need to know so we don't accidentally let something slip," Xander said.

"Okay. You can't tell anyone, are we clear? Dawn is the key. Glory needs Dawn's blood to open the portal to go back to her world. Only Dawn's blood can close the portal. It's imperative Glory not find out that Dawn is the key," Callum stressed. "We need to find Glory and we need to find her now."

"Tara and I can find her," Willow said, jumping to her feet and rushing over to the magic books. "We can do a locater spell. It shouldn't take long at all," she said, flipping through one of the books. She settled on a page and she and Tara set about the store, looking for the ingredients.

Moving over to Callum, Xander leaned against one of the display cases. "Not been a very good day, huh?" he said, rubbing a hand over his face.

"I would say not," Callum replied, looking equally as frazzled and weary.

"When we find Glory...well, what are we gonna do? I mean, you and I aren't slayers. Will and Tara can only do so much," Xander said. "Should we call Buffy?"

"No," Callum responded after a moment's thought. "She's got enough to worry about. We can do this."

"Found her," Willow said suddenly. "Come on, she's living in one of the old mansions." After gathering a few weapons, the four Scoobies hurried out of the shop, heading towards Glory's mansion.

...........................

Riley boarded the bus heading out of Sunnydale feeling far lighter than he had in months. He had contacted Graham about a job and disposed of the gun he used to shoot Faith, tossing it in the river. It sunk down to the murky bottom and with it went any concern of Riley's over the incident. He had lost Buffy far before Faith appeared, but something about the dark haired slayer just irked him. Sitting back in his seat, he smiled, knowing the bitch would never bother him again. He had gotten away with murder.


	19. Fire

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"Now, somewhere is that head of yours is the information I want," Glory said, her ruby lips curling up in a smile that chilled Kara to the bone. "And either way, I'm gonna get it. So be a good little puppy and tell me what I want to know."

........

"Found her," Willow said suddenly. "Come on, she's living in one of the old mansions." After gathering a few weapons, the four Scoobies hurried out of the shop, heading towards Glory's mansion.

Chapter Eighteen:

The cabin was burning. Kara could smell it clearly in her dreams, the thick, heavy scent of smoke pervading everything in the room. Her eyes fluttered open and all she could see was red. Flames were dancing around her, inches from her face, creeping closer and closer to her body. She sat up, coughing from the smoke, her eyes watering. Looking over, she saw Spike just waking up, hitting at the flames covering his legs. Then she heard the screams.

Mason was a few feet away, writhing on the cabin floor as flames shot through every inch of his body. Scrambling to her feet, Kara tried to reach him, but Spike hauled her backwards, his strong arms like a steel vice around her waist. "It's too late now, pet," he whispered in her ear. Sobs tore through her body and she collapsed against him as the boy stopped moving. The only sound she could hear was the crackling of the fire and the snapping of the cabin about to fall around them. "We've got to go," Spike said, taking her hand in his and covering his nose and mouth with his arm.

Then he ran, pulling her along behind him. They ran straight through the flames and out of the front door of the cabin, screeching to a halt at the sight in front of them. Hundreds of demons stood with torches, slobber dripping out of their mouths and their eyes red and beady with excitement. Spike stepped forward, blocking Kara with his body. "Listen to me," he said, turning his head slightly to look back at her. "I want you to run."

"What? No, I can't leave you here," Kara whispered back harshly. The cold night air was a startling contrast to the heat of the fire inside and the tears on her cheeks nearly froze against her skin.

"I made a promise to keep you alive a very long time ago. I'm not going back on it. Run...now!" Spike yelled, pushing her away from him.

Kara looked at him one last time before turning and running as fast as she could through the forest. She didn't stop running for days and long after the demons had given up the chase, she could still hear their harsh cries and the clanging of their weapons as they ran. She finally stopped when she reached an old road, the black pavement cracked and overgrown with weeds. She was standing between two cornfields and the sun was shining brightly overhead. Closing her eyes, she imagined a world where she could hear laughter in the fields and birds chirping. Opening her eyes, she started walking.

..........................................

"Come on, open your eyes," Glory said as if talking to a child. Kara's head rolled back and her eyes fluttered open, unfocused and unseeing. "That's better. Well, kiddo, you've got some balls, I'll give you that much. I didn't know a human was capable of enduring such agony," Glory said as she sat down on a red chaise lounge and propped her high heeled feet up. "And as fun as all this torture has been, I gotta say, I'm getting a wee bit bored. You know, it's like there's only so much I can do before I start getting repetitive," Glory said, inspecting her nails with a fierce intensity.

"Go to hell," Kara muttered, blood bubbling out from between her lips and dripping down her chin.

"Well, duh. That's the whole idea. And if you tell me where my key is," Glory said, rising to her feet and advancing, "I can."

Kara smiled, her lips cracked and bleeding. Shifting her eyes down to the fallen goddess in front of her, she started laughing. White, hot pain shot through her broken ribs and tattered skin, and she thought for a moment that she would die, but she couldn't stop laughing. Glory stared at her completely incredulous. "What the hell are you doing?" She asked, her voice rising in anger. "You're laughing. At me. You're laughing at me? What are you, retarded?" Glory shouted angrily.

Raising her hand, Glory stretched her fingers out, curling them into a fist as they began to glow with fire. "Whatever you do to me...I'll never tell you anything," Kara whispered, watching her intently.

"Oh, we'll see about that," Glory said and smiled. Then she shoved her fist deep into Kara's stomach, flames shooting out of each of her fingers. A piercing scream filled the mansion in a howl of such agony that the walls and the very earth trembled.

................................

"Okay, so here's the plan," Callum said as he, Xander, and the two witches ducked out of sight behind the iron gate that led to Glory's mansion. "Xander and I don't have a Popsicle's chance in hell of even getting close to Glory. But, you two have enough power between you to distract her at least. Then Xander and me will take out the crusty, little minions and free Kara. Once we're done, we'll all run like the blazes and get the bloody hell up out of there," Callum said, clutching his sword so tightly his knuckles were turning white.

"Okay, we can do this," Xander said nervously. Taking a deep breath, he tried, to no avail, to calm down. "We're superheroes. One bitchy god doesn't have anything on us, right?"

"Well...," Willow started only to have Tara shake her head, effectively cutting her off.

"Right," Tara affirmed.

"Alright. Let's go then," Callum said, slipping through the gate with Xander following closely behind them.

"What do you mean right? We don't stand a chance," Willow said, the panic evident in her voice as she looked over at her girlfriend. Tara simply smiled at her.

"No need to let them know that," she said and, taking Willow's hand, hurried after their friends.

They heard Kara's scream as they neared the front door. It froze them in their tracks, reverberating deep into the marrow of their bones. "Oh God," Willow whispered, clutching Tara's hand tighter. The very sound made her sick.

"We have to hurry," Callum declared. Xander looked over at him. Callum's blue eyes were shining with such intensity that Xander almost had to look away. There was an energy about him, a glow of power that Xander hadn't noticed before. He was beginning to see why the Powers that Be chose to send Callum back with Kara. There was a warrior in him.

Kicking in the door, Callum, Xander, Tara, and Willow rushed inside to find the foyer completely empty. "Okay, well that was a bit of a let down," Xander muttered as they crept over to the stairs, slowly ascending.

"Look," Tara said, pointing up to one of the rooms. "The lights are on."

Callum nodded, heading towards the room. The door was ajar and he could feel a presence behind it that was clearly Kara. Raising his sword, he paused as the group assembled around him. "On three," he whispered. Then raising one of his hands, he slowly counted down. At one, Willow and Tara released a burst of energy that shattered the door, sending it flying off its hinges.

Glory turned toward the disturbance, surprised to see the foursome standing before her. "Don't we have any security around here?" She asked, glaring back at her minions.

"Wouldn't matter if you did," Callum said as the group fanned out into the room. "We'd still kick your ass." He charged a group of Glory's minions as Willow and Tara threw all of their magic into freezing Glory in place.

Xander and Callum fought fiercely, their swords slashing through everything in sight. Finally, when the last minion fell, Callum rushed over to Kara, breaking through the chains that bound her to the pole. She fell in a heap into his arms, lolling between consciousness and oblivion. "Hold on," he whispered, handing Xander his sword as he picked her up, holding her close to his body.

Moving toward Willow and Tara, they all turned and threw one last look at Glory before fleeing the mansion. Once they were gone, the magic wore off. Falling forward slightly, Glory caught herself and surveyed the room. The bodies of her fallen minions lay scattered about the room, their blood staining her plush carpet. Growling, she muttered, "Oh, you're so gonna pay for this."

Note: Thanks for all the reviews. Keep 'em coming. Don't know if this chapter was a bit too blood thirsty or not, but that's just what came out.


	20. Healing

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Moving toward Willow and Tara, they all turned and threw one last look at Glory before fleeing the mansion. Once they were gone, the magic wore off. Falling forward slightly, Glory caught herself and surveyed the room. The bodies of her fallen minions lay scattered about the room, their blood staining her plush carpet. Growling, she muttered, "Oh, you're so gonna pay for this."

Chapter Nineteen:

"How is she?" Xander asked from the doorway of Kara's bedroom. Inside, Willow and Tara were cleaning and dressing her wounds.

"It's hard to tell," Tara said, glancing back at him. "She's lost a lot of blood, but the wounds aren't too bad. I think Glory used more magic than actual physical torture."

"Yeah," Willow agreed. "It sure looks like it. She's got some burns and lacerations, but it all looks worse than it really is. I guess we'll just have to wait for her to wake up."

"How's Callum holding up?" Tara asked as she began to stitch one of the nastier looking gashes.

"Nursing a bottle of something," Xander said with a small smile. "He's just worried. I guess we all are."

"Yeah, I have a feelings things are gonna be worse from here on out. Glory didn't seem too happy," Willow said gravely. "Shouldn't someone contact Giles at the hospital and tell him what happened? I don't think we should be separated right now."

"You think Glory might try something?" Callum asked, coming up behind Xander and slipping passed him into the room.

"Maybe. It's not a risk I'm willing to take though," Willow said, giving the worried Englishman a reassuring smile. "She's gonna be fine."

Callum smiled back weakly, taking Kara's hand in his as he sat beside the bed. Sighing, he rubbed his face with his other hand and closed his eyes. "If Faith survives, which we don't even know if she's alive now, the doctors won't let her leave the hospital for a couple of days at least. We're gonna have to split into two groups. Buffy will want people protecting her mom and Kara's in no shape to do anything. Unless we can get her moving, we're gonna have to stay here," Callum said wearily.

"We just lost two of our best fighters," Xander declared. "I'm not seeing much hope here on the fending off Glory front."

Willow nodded gravely. "Neither am I."

...................................

Buffy sat beside Faith's bed, holding the unconscious slayer's hand in her own. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. The doctors were able to remove the bullet and patch up the wound, but the rest was up to Faith. She was still in critical condition and the doctors weren't sure she would survive the night. Sighing, Buffy closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, her thoughts drifting to how happy she had been earlier that day when the doctors told her that her mom was okay.

Things had drastically taken a turn for the worse. Giles had visited with her a few minutes ago only to inform her that he hadn't heard a word from Xander, Tara, Willow, Kara, Callum, or Riley for several hours. Despite repeated calls to the Magic Box, her house, and Callum, Kara, and Spike's house, he hadn't been able to reach any of them. He sent Anya to try to find them, but hadn't heard anything from her yet either. In a matter of hours, her whole world seemed to be falling apart and the fate of it all seemed to rest in the hands of the unconscious girl in front of her.

In her worry for Faith, she had yet to see her mother, who by this time had woken up. Dawn and Spike were with her, keeping her company and watching over her. Though she wasn't too particularly pleased that Spike showed up, she was grateful to have another fighter in the hospital to look after her loved ones. Despite all of his faults, Buffy knew Spike would never let anything happen to Dawn or her mother. He seemed to love them in his own way, a development Buffy hadn't seen coming.

Leaning forward, Buffy brushed a stray strand of hair behind Faith's ear, gently tracing her fingertips down her face. Faith usually looked so strong and confident, but lying in that bed, she looked like a piece of glass about to break. Her face was pale, nearly matching the white bed sheets, and without any makeup, she looked significantly younger. Buffy felt a fresh wave of tears begin spilling down her cheeks. "Come on, baby," she whispered. "You've gotta wake up. I can't do this without you. I love you," she said so low the beeping of the heart monitor rang louder. But she knew Faith could hear her.

Buffy could hear the click of the door sliding open and Giles stepped into the room, the gentle falling of his feet somehow reassuring. "Any change?" He asked softly, pulling a chair up beside Buffy. She shook her head, leaning back in her chair and looking over at him.

"Heard from anyone yet?" She asked, desperately wishing her friends were okay.

Giles shook his head slowly. "I'm afraid not," he said. His voice sounded tired. "Anya should have called by now and I expected Xander and the others hours ago. I hate to say it, but they may have run into trouble with Glory."

Buffy closed her eyes, nodding her head in resignation. "Maybe I should look for them," she said, though her body seemed unwilling to move. Giles smiled gently, his voice taking a fatherly tone.

"No, it's better you stay here, in case she wakes up. She shouldn't be alone," he said, giving Buffy's hand a tender squeeze. "Besides, I could be very wrong. Perhaps they're all on their way."

..........................................

After having lived for over a thousand years, Anya took pride in the fact that she didn't freak out too easily. Granted, she had her moments of doubt and panic, much like anyone else, but her long years had taught her the utter futility of giving in to alarm. However, after finding no one at the Magic Box and Buffy's house abandoned with the front door swinging wide open, she was beginning to feel the constricting squeeze in her chest of anxiety. She practically ran all the way to Kara, Callum, and Spike's house. By the time she reached the front door, she could barely breathe. Thoughts were skipping through her head, nightmarish imaginings of Xander and all her friends lying dead somewhere or beaten beyond recognition.

Ringing the doorbell, she anxiously bounced back and forth on her feet, hoping that someone would answer. When the door slid open to reveal Xander, she propelled herself toward him, grabbing onto him and hugging him so tightly he could barely breathe. "Thank God," she said. "I thought you were dead. Where have you been? We've been calling all over the place but no one's answered anywhere," Anya said, her high-pitched voice nearly hurting Xander's ears.

"It's okay, we just ran into a little trouble. Glory captured Kara this afternoon," Xander said, pulling Anya in the house and closing the door behind her.

"What? We have to go get Buffy," Anya said, starting back toward the door. Xander grabbed her elbow, effectively stopping her.

"No, it's okay. We went and got her out. She's upstairs."

Anya paused, glaring at him. "Don't even tell me you and Callum decided to play hero and go up against an immortal hell goddess to try to rescue her!" She yelled, now completely irritated.

"Well...not exactly," Xander reasoned. "I mean, we had Will and Tara with us." Swatting him in the back of the head, Anya groaned in frustration.

"You, Xander Harris, are just about the stupidest man alive," she ground out. Her expression softened as she glanced up the stairs. "Is she okay?"

Xander smiled at his ex-vengeance demon girlfriend. Though her outbursts demonstrated her complete lack of socialization into modern society, they also proved how much she cared. "Yeah. She just woke up a few minutes ago. She's a little out of it, but she'll be okay. We're all pretty worried though," Xander said, leading Anya upstairs.

"About what?"

"Glory. We really pissed her off today. We're not so sure it's safe for us here...or anywhere for that matter," Xander replied as they neared Kara's room.

"We should get back to the hospital. At least Buffy's there," Anya said as they entered the room.

Kara was sitting up in bed with her head resting against the headboard and her eyes closed. Callum sat next to her, tracing soothing patterns across her knuckles with his thumb. Next to the bed, Willow and Tara were huddled together, the worry on their faces mirroring each other. "Anya's here," Xander announced as they entered the room. "Been looking for us too. How is Faith doing, by the way?" He asked, suddenly remembering the dark haired slayer.

"The doctors got the bullet out, but they're not too optimistic. Buffy's taking it really hard," Anya said as Kara opened her eyes.

"What happened?" She asked, completely out of the loop.

"Someone shot Faith outside of the Magic Box today," Anya answered.

"Not just someone," Willow said quietly. "We think it was Riley." Anya looked over at her in surprise.

"Giles has been trying to contact him all day. No luck, though," she said.

"Maybe he skipped town," Tara offered.

"Hopefully. The last thing we need is a jealous boyfriend with a hard on to kill lurking around," Anya muttered.

"Jealous? What would Riley have to be jealous about?" Willow asked in confusion.

"Faith and Buffy," Anya said, as if it explained everything. Kara groaned, knowing where this was going and not sure her mothers would be pleased that the Scooby Gang was aware of their blossoming relationship.

"What about them?" Xander asked, looking over at his girlfriend.

"Well they're together. You know, orgasm buddies? It's incredibly obvious," Anya stated in a matter of fact way.

"Actually," Kara cut in before things got out of hand. "I don't think they've gotten to the orgasm buddy stage yet. Besides, that's not really the point. Let's assume for the sake of argument that Riley has skipped town. We've still got an enraged hell god looking for us and the Key," Kara said, then added, "who is Dawn by the way, for those of you just joining us."

Anya looked completely incredulous. "The Key is Buffy's little sister? No way," she said, dismissing Kara's statement until she saw the looks on everyone's faces. "Okay...I could be wrong."

"Do you think you can walk?" Callum asked Kara, smiling gently. She nodded.

"Good. I say we make like true Scoobies and run like hell to Buffy," Willow said, jumping to her feet with Tara right beside her.

"I'm definitely in with that plan," Xander said with his typical half smile.

"Alright, so we go to the hospital, find Buffy, and figure out what to do about Glory from there," Kara said, gently pulling herself to her feet. Her whole body ached in ways she didn't think possible. More importantly, though, things were spiraling out of her control. Glory was a loose cannon now and whatever she was planning, there wasn't a thing Kara could do about it.

..........................................

"You think you can just come in here and kill my minions and take my hostage and I'm just gonna sit around and drink tea all freakin' day," Glory muttered to herself angrily as she stomped down the street. "I don't think so. Two can play this game. Enough sitting around and hoping the slayer will screw up. No, this time, I'm takin' the fight to them. If they won't tell me where my Key is, I'll just find out for myself," Glory growled as she walked toward Sunnydale General. "And there'll be hell to pay."


	21. Brainsucks and Sky Dives

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"We just lost two of our best fighters," Xander declared. "I'm not seeing much hope here on the fending off Glory front."

Willow nodded gravely. "Neither am I."

..................

"Two can play this game. Enough sitting around and hoping the slayer will screw up. No, this time, I'm takin' the fight to them. If they won't tell me where my Key is, I'll just find out for myself," Glory growled as she walked toward Sunnydale General. "And there'll be hell to pay."

Chapter Twenty:

Faith groaned and rolled her head to the side as she awoke. Opening her eyes, she quickly blinked them several times to dispel the foggy cloud covering the world. She tried to remember what happened and where she was, but she found it incredibly difficult to think. "Hey," a gentle voice beside her said. Turning her head toward the sound, she tried to remember why it sounded so familiar. Her eyes focused on the face in front of her and she found herself smiling slightly.

"Hey," she croaked out, her voice cracking. Her throat was bone dry and her tongue felt thick and heavy in her mouth.

"You feel okay? You want anything?" Buffy asked, leaning forward and tenderly caressing the side of her girlfriend's face.

"Water," Faith said, wetting her lips and closing her eyes.

"Here," Buffy said, putting a glass of water up to Faith's lips. She gratefully drank, satisfied when her thirst had abated. "How do you feel?" Buffy asked, setting the glass of water down on the bedside table.

"Kinda like I got shot," Faith answered dryly, a small smile playing on her lips.

"About that," Buffy said, grabbing Faith's hand with her own and tracing circles on her skin. "Do you remember anything that happened? Do you remember who shot you?"

Faith thought for a moment. She clearly remembered walking into the alley and hearing the click of the gun. When she turned around, who did she see? "Yeah, I remember," Faith said after a couple of minutes. Looking over at Buffy, she gently squeezed her hand. "B...it was Riley."

.......................

"So, whoever thought coming to the hospital was a good idea clearly forgot how incredibly boring it is here," Xander said, slumped over in his hard, plastic hospital chair. "The nurses aren't even hot," he complained and promptly was smacked on the arm by Anya. Both Kara and Callum smiled.

"I'm gonna go get some coffee, anyone want?" Tara asked, rising from her seat. The group collectively declined and Tara disappeared in search of a coffee machine.

After a quick search, Tara found the machine and slipped a dollar bill into the slot. As the coffee slowly poured into the cup, Tara sighed and closed her eyes, running a hand over her face. It had been an incredibly long day and she couldn't wait to climb into bed that night and fall asleep wrapped in Willow's arms.

"Excuse me," someone said from behind her. Tara turned, only to come face to face with Glory. "How's it going?" Glory asked with a wide, menacing smile. "Not that I actually care or anything."

"I w-won't tell you anything," Tara said defiantly, raising her eyes to meet the hell god's.

"Oh silly, you don't have to worry about that. I wasn't planning on asking," Glory replied. A white ball of light surrounded Glory's hand as she raised it and pressed it to the side of Tara's skull. "I was just gonna jump right in."

Willow could hear Tara's scream from the waiting room. Leaping to her feet, she rushed out to the coffee machines with practically the entire Scooby Gang in tow. "Tara!" She yelled upon seeing her girlfriend crumpled to the floor and Glory standing triumphantly over her.

"Oh, it's the little witch," Glory said, then paused. "Well, the other one," she added purposefully.

"What did you do?" Willow growled, her voice low and menacing. Kara glanced over at her. Staring into the red-haired witch's eyes, she could see flecks of black beginning to appear.

"Willow!" Kara stressed. The witch didn't look at her. Moving over to Giles, Kara put her hand on his shoulder, leaned up, and whispered in his ear. "If Willow uses magic against Glory, she'll start down the path toward destruction. We have to stop her," Kara hissed. Looking back at her, Giles nodded.

"I agree, but how?"

"Suspend her magic?" Kara asked, moving around to stand beside him.

"I haven't the power," Giles admitted. "But I do know another way."

"Oh, what's that?" Kara asked, watching as Giles rushed forward and elbowed Willow in the back of the head.

"What the hell are you doing?" Xander asked as Willow collapsed to the floor unconscious.

"Saving her from herself," Giles said, then glancing down at Willow, muttered, "Sorry."

"Okay, I gotta say, I didn't see that coming," Glory said, watching the interaction with a mildly amused interest. "No matter though. I still know who the Key is. That's right folks, and I know she's right upstairs," Glory said gleefully. "Time to get what's mine."

...................................

"Do you think Faith's gonna be okay?" Dawn asked, glancing over at Spike. They were sitting in her mother's hospital room. Joyce had fallen back asleep about twenty minutes ago and was resting comfortably. Dawn couldn't have been more relieved, yet, she was worried about the dark slayer. Even with slayer healing, a bullet was a bit much to recover from and, though Buffy hadn't told her yet, Dawn had a feeling Faith and Buffy were a bit more than friends.

"Aw yeah. She'll be up and kickin' in no time, pet, just you watch. Probably up and kickin' at me too," Spike said, smiling over at Dawn.

"Yeah. I hope so," Dawn said, then quickly amended, "I mean, I don't hope she's up and kickin' at you. Just up and kickin' in general."

"Yeah, I figured as much," Spike replied amused. Dawn looked over at Spike tentatively, wondering if she should voice the question plaguing her mind.

"Spike?" She asked, getting the blonde vampire's attention.

"Yeah, Nibblet?"

"That chip in your head...are you here just because you have it...or are you here because you really care what happens to us?" Dawn asked uncertainly.

Spike looked over at the young girl. He could see by the intensity of her eyes that the answer he gave would make or break the world for her. Smiling at her, he slung his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. "It's like this," he said. "When I first started helping you all out, yeah, it was because of the chip."

"Oh," Dawn interjected, visibly crestfallen.

"But," Spike added, "then I got to know the lot of you. While I'm not exactly everyone's biggest fan, and despite the fact that it goes entirely against my nature as a demon, I started caring about all you. Still do. It's a nasty little thing it is," Spike finished and was rewarded by a brilliant smile from Dawn.

"I knew you weren't all bad," Dawn said happily.

"Now I didn't say that," Spike said desperately, still hoping to cling to some of his former glory. He was about to say something else when he felt an incredible wave of power coming towards them. "Dawn," he said lowly, rising to his feet.

"What? What is it?" Dawn asked, jumping up beside him, visibly afraid.

"Move to the window," Spike instructed, turning and leading her over to the third story window. Pulling it open, he looked down. It was a long fall. "We've got to jump," Spike said, looking back at Dawn.

"What? No way. Why?" Dawn asked, looking at him as if he were insane.

Suddenly the hospital room door burst open, the wood cracking and breaking. Pulling Dawn closer to him, he shielded her from the flying debris. When the dust cleared, he could see Glory standing in the doorway. "That's why," he said and frantically began helping Dawn out of the window.

"Oh, no. You're not going anywhere," Glory said angrily as she advanced toward them. "I want my Key."

"Oh, bugger this," Spike said and, grabbing Dawn, launched himself out of the window. They seemed to hang in mid air for a moment before plummeting down to the earth. Air rushed up at them and Spike closed his eyes, shielding them from the pressure. Rolling them so that he would hit the ground first, Spike tensed as he felt the earth rapidly approach. He slammed into the parking lot pavement, the air rushing out of his lungs and every bone in his body trembling from the impact. "You okay, Nibblet?" Spike asked, once he had regained the power of speech.

"Yeah," Dawn muttered, rolling off Spike and flopping to the ground. Looking back up at the window they had just crashed out of, she could see Glory glaring down at them. "I think we should run," Dawn said, rising to her feet and pulling Spike up with her.

"Good plan," he muttered as they took off into the night. "Here's the real question," he said. "Where are we gonna go?"


	22. The Escape

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Don't worry folks, while I'm not a massive Riley fan, I am a massive Angel fan. There won't be any Angel bashing in this fic and if/when he's mentioned, it will only be in a good light/or as some sort of detail.

Previously:

Faith thought for a moment. She clearly remembered walking into the alley and hearing the click of the gun. When she turned around, who did she see? "Yeah, I remember," Faith said after a couple of minutes. Looking over at Buffy, she gently squeezed her hand. "B...it was Riley."

.....................

"I think we should run," Dawn said, rising to her feet and pulling Spike up with her.

"Good plan," he muttered as they took off into the night. "Here's the real question," he said. "Where are we gonna go?"

Chapter Twenty-One:

"Okay, here's the deal," Buffy said, addressing the entire group of Scoobies clustered and crammed into her living room. "Spike and Dawn are hiding out in an old warehouse down by the docks. At this point, I think our best strategy is to retrieve them and hit the road."

"By hit the road, do you mean run?" Xander asked, standing in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest.

"Finally, a sensible plan," Anya muttered.

"Yeah. We can't defeat Glory, she's too strong...especially now that Faith and Kara are wounded. With Tara...out of commission," Buffy said, throwing a sympathetic glance at Willow, who was gently stroking her lover's hair, "we don't have much fire power left."

"I agree with Buffy," Giles said, rising to his feet and pacing a bit back and forth. "We should try to get to L.A. Perhaps Angel could help us."

"So we're all agreed?" Buffy asked the group, who collectively nodded. "Okay then. I'll find us a vehicle. Everyone just stay here until I get back," she said, giving Faith's hand a quick squeeze before leaving.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Giles asked, turning to Joyce and sitting down next to her. It had been several days since her surgery and, despite the doctor's repeated attempts to get her to stay, she had discharged herself to be with Buffy.

"It's about time I start getting more involved," Joyce said, giving Rupert a small smile. "Besides, Dawn is my daughter. I can't just sit around and worry all day. I have to do something."

"I understand," Giles replied, taking off his glass and absently cleaning them on his shirt.

"Things aren't really going as planned, huh?" Faith asked, turning toward Kara, who sat next to her on the sofa. Callum was sitting at their feet with his back to the coffee table.

"Not so much," Kara replied wearily. "When the big battle comes, the last thing we need is for us to be on the bench."

"You've both got slayer healing," Callum interjected. "In a couple days you'll be able to fight again. Maybe not good as new, mind you, but you'll be able to get in there."

"Yeah, you're not so bad," Faith said, surveying Kara's injuries. "You should be fine. But Buffy freaks out whenever I try to do something."

"She's just worried about you," Kara said, smiling slightly. Faith had yet to figure out why Kara smiled whenever the topic of Buffy, Faith, and their feelings towards each other came up, but she desperately wanted to know.

"Yeah. Still, I'm not totally incapacitated, you know? Though it does hurt like hell," Faith said, absently running a hand over her wound.

"She's gonna be okay, Will. We'll find a way to get her back," Xander said, lowering himself to the floor next to his best friend. Anya joined him, sitting in front of him and leaning back into his waiting arms.

"I know. We'll find a spell or something," Willow said dejectedly. "I just hate to see her like this."

"They're waiting...they're always waiting. The pond's almost full. Can we go now?" Tara asked, her eyes swimming and confused. Willow smiled sadly at her, running her fingers through her hair.

"Shh...everything's okay, baby," she whispered, desperately trying to resist the urge to break down and cry.

Anya watched the interaction, feeling the red-haired witch's sadness pouring off her. "It _will_ be okay," she said forcefully. "There may not be much justice in this world, but the Powers, they won't let something like this go."

"Yeah, besides, we've got all these books, right? They've gotta be useful," Xander added, flashing them a half smile.

......................................

"Uh, Spike? Are you rubbing my leg?" Dawn asked, looking over at the blonde vampire in confusion.

"No," Spike answered slowly.

"Are you sure?" Dawn asked, her voice taking a slightly panicked tone.

"Last time I checked," Spike responded. "Why?"

Dawn cautiously looked down at her leg, squinting in the dark of the abandoned warehouse they were holed up in. She could faintly make out two beady eyes and whiskers. Screaming, she leapt to her feet. "A rat! It's a rat," she yelled, nearly running across the room.

"Oh bloody hell," Spike said, leaping to his feet as well and joining her.

"What are you doing? Kill it!" Dawn instructed avidly.

"Like bloody hell I'm going back over there," Spike said incredulously. "I hate rats," he mumbled under his breath. Dawn snorted.

"Wait, let me get this straight. You, Spike, the scourge of Western Europe. Killer of not one, but two vampire slayers. Badass vampire with a knack for torturing people. You...are afraid of rats?"

"I'm not afraid!" Spike said defensively. "I just don't like them."

Their conversation was interrupted by the shrill beeping of a car horn. "That must be Buffy," Dawn said, turning toward the sound.

"Yeah, come on," Spike said, taking her by the hand and leading her over to the door. Sticking his head out, he could see a large recreational vehicle parked a few feet away. "Oh you've got to be kidding me," he said, surveying their mode of transportation.

"What is it?" Dawn asked, peaking her head out.

"Big sis is gonna take us camping," Spike replied, glancing back at the young girl with an amused expression on his face. "Be a doll and run out there and open the door for me will ya?"

"Sure," Dawn said as she cautiously crept out of the warehouse and over to the camper. Swinging the door open, she disappeared inside.

"Here goes nothing," Spike said as he dashed out of the warehouse and dove into the camper, little curls of smoke rising off his skin. "Well that hurt," he said, scrambling to pull the door shut behind him.

"You okay?" Buffy asked, glancing back at him from the driver's seat.

"I'll live," he answered grimly, settling into a seat.

"Come here a second," Buffy said, motioning for him to join her. The front windshield was blocked off, only allowing for a bit of light to come in through an opening just in front of Buffy's face.

"Yeah?" Spike asked, sitting down in the passenger's seat. Dawn was sitting at a table in the back, resting her head on her arms and closing her eyes.

"Thanks," Buffy said, glancing over at him. "For taking care of her. You didn't have to, but you did. You wanted me to believe I could trust you? Well now I do," Buffy said sincerely.

Spike smiled slightly. "Well, couldn't very well let the hell bitch get her now could I?"

"I guess not," Buffy said laughing.

"So we're makin' for the hills, huh? What did the Scoobies think about that?"

"I'm not sure they were all thrilled with the idea of running away. But it's the only chance we have. I don't know why, but I feel like there's something Kara's not telling us," Buffy said suddenly, her face becoming pensive.

Spike looked over at her cautiously. He knew the secret Kara was keeping from them, the secret identity of Glory. However, he also knew if he revealed this fact to Buffy, firstly, she wouldn't remember it in five minutes, and secondly, Buffy would never agree to allow Ben to come anywhere near them. In order for the plan to work, Buffy needed to be completely out of the loop.

_"Secret meetings and hushed voices, this can't be good for company morale," Spike said as he took a seat at the table. Gathered around him were Kara, Callum, and Giles._

_"We need to go over the plan one last time," Kara said lowly. They were sitting in the kitchen of their house, Giles having come from the Magic Box only moments before. It was dark out, the moon shining in through the kitchen window. In an hour, they were supposed to meet Buffy and the others at the store for training and research. _

_"So let's hear it then," Callum said, taking a sip of his beer._

_"The Knights of Byzantium will cut off our escape from Sunnydale. Giles, you'll be wounded, but you'll be alright. Buffy will call Ben, the intern she'll meet when her mother goes in the hospital. Ben will come and fix you up, but he'll turn into Glory. We have to let Glory escape with Dawn," Kara said, stressing that point._

_"When the big battle comes, Tara will lead us to Glory. Faith and Buffy will fight her, as they're the slayers. Spike, you need to try immediately to free Dawn, but don't worry if you can't. I'll be right behind you. Between the two of us, we should be able to get her out. But if not, Callum is going to start up the tower as soon as he can. It's imperative we not let Dawn's blood be spilled. Giles, you'll be in charge of killing Ben once Faith and Buffy are done with Glory. The rest of the Scoobies will try to stave off the minions and crazies Glory has working for her. Everyone clear?"_

"You're just worried is all. Kara wouldn't keep anything from you," Spike said, keeping his voice calm and even. Buffy nodded.

"I guess you're right," she said. A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of the Summers residence. "I'll get everyone out here. Just sit tight."

Buffy hopped out of the driver's seat and was out the door before Spike could respond. She disappeared into the house and several minutes later, had the entire Scooby Gang in tow. While Callum was helping Kara down the sidewalk, Buffy was helping Faith into the camper, and Giles was helping Joyce out of the house. "It's like a bloody triage unit," Spike muttered under his breath, vacating the passenger's seat for Joyce and taking a place in the back.

"Everyone ready?" Giles asked as he buckled himself into the driver's seat. With a collective 'yes,' he slammed his foot on the gas and the camper rambled forward, heading out of town.


	23. The Gas Station

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"Everyone ready?" Giles asked as he buckled himself into the driver's seat. With a collective 'yes,' he slammed his foot on the gas and the camper rambled forward, heading out of town.

Chapter Twenty-Two:

"Well, that sucked," Xander said as he and Buffy helped drag a wounded Giles into an abandoned gas station. Their RV was a smoldering mass of twisted metal and they were surrounded by a group of heavily armed knights. Willow quickly put a barrier around their hideaway, thus keeping out the overzealous swordsmen.

"Lets put him over there," Buffy said, motioning toward a dusty counter in the corner. "You know, Giles, you're a lot heavier than you look," Buffy said as she and Xander negotiated Giles onto the cracked countertop.

"I'll make a note of that," Giles ground out through the pain. Though Kara had informed him he would be injured, he hadn't quite been prepared for the amount of pain he was experiencing. Shooting a glance in the future slayer's direction, he saw Kara flash him an apologetic smile.

While Buffy, Willow, and Xander were tending to Giles's wound, Faith and Spike were chaining the captured Byzantium general to a pole in the back room. Tugging on the chains to make sure they were tight enough, Faith circled around in front of the man, a dangerous gleam in her eye. "What do you think you can do to me, little girl?" The man asked, spitting on the ground next to Faith in defiance.

A cruel smile twisted Faith's lips and she stood back, folding her arms across her chest. "You tried to kill my friends, the people I care about. I think the appropriate question is what can't I do to you. 'Cuz right now, I'm thinkin' just about anything is an option," she growled. Next to her, Spike bounced back and forth on his feet nervously.

"Hey," Dawn said, coming up behind Faith and laying a hand on her shoulder. She could practically feel the rage coming off the dark slayer. Though Dawn knew Faith would never hurt her or any of the others, she honestly felt afraid for the captured general. "Buffy could probably use you out there," she said. "Besides, you shouldn't really be moving around. You know, whole gunshot wound thing."

Faith looked back at the girl, her anger immediately dissipating. "Yeah. Walk with me, huh?" Faith said, shooting a glare back at the chained man. Then she and Dawn walked back out to the main room, Dawn leading Faith over to a couple of crates, where Joyce, Kara, and Callum were sitting. Then Dawn went to check on Giles. Anya was sitting near Joyce, holding Tara's had and trying to soothe the frightened woman.

"Feeling alright?" Joyce asked as Faith sat down beside her. She noticed Faith wince when she moved, absently running a hand over her wound.

"It's hurts a little," Faith admitted, much to the shock of everyone who heard her. The old Faith never would have admitted any weakness. Willow smiled sadly, looking over at the former rogue slayer.

"What's up, Will?" Buffy asked, noticing her friend's expression.

"I really misjudged her," Willow said, motioning to Faith. Buffy smiled.

"We all did," she whispered, gazing at her girlfriend with pride and love shining in her eyes.

"We really need to get him to a doctor," Xander said, capturing the two girls' attention.

"Yeah, but how? We've got an army outside waiting to kill us," Willow reminded him.

"True, but we've got something they want," Spike said, joining the group. "The little toy solider back there means something to them."

"You think we could negotiate for a doctor?" Buffy asked hopefully, glancing down at her watcher. He's face was drawn and pale, a thin layer of sweat covering his body.

"Don't see why not," Spike reasoned. "It's worth a try anyway."

Kara watched as Willow, Buffy, and Spike left the gas station, breaking through their own barrier to negotiate with the knights waiting outside. A short while later, they came back in with Ben in tow. "This is it, huh?" Callum whispered to her, looking up at her nervously.

"Yeah," Kara whispered back. Faith turned to look at them curiously, her slayer hearing allowing her to catch their hidden conversation. Moving over to them, she sat down beside Callum.

"This is what?" Faith demanded, speaking lowly enough for only Kara and Callum to hear. Kara studied her for several moments before leaning forward and speaking.

"Whatever happens in the next few minutes, just stay here," Kara said sternly. "You try to stop it, she'll kill you."

"Who?" Faith asked, Kara's tone chilling her.

"Glory."

Faith was about to respond when Ben dashed across the room, banging on the wall to be released. "You have to let me out!" He yelled.

"What's his problem?" Faith asked, watching him suspiciously. Dawn rushed over to him, trying to calm him down.

"Just watch," Kara said, laying a hand on Faith's arm to prevent her from moving. Faith looked back at her alarmed.

Before their eyes, Ben suddenly transformed into Glory. "Ah, that's better," Glory said, stretching out her arms. Then she noticed Dawn standing directly in front of her. A wide smile covered her face. "Well, well. Little Ben finally did something right," she said and then noticed the chained up general. "Oh look, it's Gregor," she said, picking up an old hubcap. Flicking her wrist, she sent the piece of metal shooting through the air. It slammed into the general's chest, killing him nearly instantly. "Now it's not." Grabbing Dawn by the arm, Glory dashed out of the gas station, breaking through the barrier without a second thought.

Buffy ran after her, but couldn't break through the barrier herself. "Willow!" She yelled. "Get it down!" Willow released the barrier, but by the time Buffy ran out into the parking lot, all of the knights were dead and Glory was gone.

Faith looked back at Kara, her features grim. "Why did you let that happen?" She demanded, though still low enough for only the two of them to hear.

"Certain things have to happen in order for others to be stopped. Dawn's gonna be okay," Kara said seriously. "The Powers sent me back here because they knew I could make the tough choices. Can you?"

Faith studied the girl sitting in front of her, for the first time seeing the depth of her destiny. "Yeah," she said simply, pulling herself to her feet. Joyce stood beside her, tears silently streaming down her face. "Everything's gonna be okay," Faith said, wrapping her arm around the woman and leading her out of the gas station. Callum and Kara followed after them. The rest of the group had already assembled outside, surveying the damage Glory had done and trying to get Buffy to respond. Buffy sat on the ground, her face marred with grief, completely catatonic.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Faith asked, watching her girlfriend with worry.

"Yeah. She needs to see," Kara said.

"See what?"

"Death is her gift," Kara replied, looking over at Faith with a primeval light shining in her eyes. "But so is life."


	24. The Gift

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Disclaimer: The dialogue borrowed from "The Gift" obviously belongs to whomever wrote it.

Previously:

The rest of the group had already assembled outside, surveying the damage Glory had done and trying to get Buffy to respond. Buffy sat on the ground, her face marred with grief, completely catatonic.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Faith asked, watching her girlfriend with worry.

"Yeah. She needs to see," Kara said.

"See what?"

"Death is her gift," Kara replied, looking over at Faith with a primeval light shining in her eyes. "But so is life."

Chapter Twenty-Three:

Then tension in the room was palpable; so thick that Faith could almost taste it. The group was assembled in the Magic Box. Only a few minutes before, Willow had found a spell to restore Tara's sanity, revitalizing a shred of hope for the group, though it would have to wait until Tara led them to Glory's hideout. The atmosphere had changed drastically when Buffy announced that under no circumstances were any of them to eliminate Dawn if the portal were to open. Giles, in playing devil's advocate, had opened a can of worms that not only had everyone questioning Buffy's motives, but their own moral compass.

If the portal were to open, Dawn's blood would be the only way to close it; or so Faith thought, though Kara, Spike, and Callum seemed relatively at ease. Even Giles, despite the verbal lashing he received from Buffy, seemed fairly tranquil, as if they had some innate knowledge of the course of events. Faith smiled to herself, suddenly realizing that they did; Kara had a plan. Faith glanced over at the dark haired girl, wondering, not for the first time, what was lurking behind her eyes. It was impossible to tell, much like Faith, Kara kept a constant veil over the windows to her soul, making it futile to try to anticipate her actions and emotions.

However, despite that, Faith could see a flicker of doubt in Kara's eyes. Something was bothering her, but whatever it was, she kept it to herself. The group was suddenly standing, gathering around Willow and Tara as they encouraged the blonde witch to go to Glory. "Stay close but don't crowd her. We'll follow in a minute. Everybody knows their jobs. Remember, the ritual starts, we all die. And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn," Buffy said sternly. The Scoobies filed out of the store, leaving Buffy and Faith.

"You ready for this, B?" Faith asked, walking up to her. Buffy turned and pulled Faith into a warm embrace, feeling as if it could be the last time. "Hey, it's okay," Faith said, wrapping her arms around Buffy, who was shaking slightly.

"I know," Buffy said, her words muffled as she nuzzled Faith's neck. "I'm just...I don't want to lose anyone. Not Dawn, not any of the Scoobies...not you," Buffy said, pulling away and looking at Faith with eyes shining with unshed tears. Faith smiled lazily, running her hand through Buffy's golden hair.

"You won't," Faith said simply, leaning down and capturing Buffy's lips with her own. The kiss was gentle, lasting only a few moments, but shook them both to the very core of their beings.

"How can you be sure?" Buffy breathed, resting her head on Faith's chest, just next to the healing gunshot wound that nearly killed her. Reaching her hand up, Buffy gingerly placed it on the wound, feeling the steady beat of Faith's heart beneath.

"I've got faith," Faith said jokingly, rewarded with a laugh and small smile from Buffy. "Come on, we've gotta go."

.............................

"Don't do anything stupid," Anya instructed, looking up into Xander's chocolate eyes with worry. "Buffy's the hero, not you. Just remember, running is always a viable option."

Xander smiled patiently at his if-the-world-doesn't-end-fiancé. "I'll be careful," he said, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Take care of Buffy's mom, alright?" He said, smiling back at the very worried and very stressed Joyce Summers.

"I will. She's in good hands," Anya said proudly. "We'll be waiting at the house."

..........................

"You know, we do this kinda thing all the time. Nothing to worry about really," Spike said, attempting to comfort the distressed woman next to him.

"So you've fought a hell god before?" Joyce asked hopefully, turning toward the bleached vampire.

"Well, not exactly. But you know, us demons, really, we're all alike. Kill one, you can kill us all," Spike said jauntily.

"Take care of Dawn," Joyce suddenly said, her expression deadly serious. Spike regarded her for a moment.

"I promise."

.................................

"They're shutting me in...cages, cages. The world's falling down," Tara muttered as she wandered a bit away from the group, heading in Glory's general direction. Giles and Willow watched her, worry etched across their faces.

"You're sure the spell will work?" Giles asked.

"It will," Willow answered confidently. "It has to. She's my everything."

................................

"I would think we should be pretty confident going into this, but you don't look so sure," Callum said, standing beside Kara outside the Magic Box.

"They're calling me," Kara said, looking up at the sky absently.

"Who?" Callum asked, looking at her sharply.

"The Powers that Be. Something isn't right. They want to see me," Kara responded. Her voice was detached, almost as if the words were flowing through her.

"When?"

"After Glory. Things are changing. Buffy's resurrection brought about the First, altered the line of slayers," Kara muttered.

"But Buffy isn't going to die tonight," Callum said. "The First won't rise if Buffy doesn't die."

"No," Kara said gravely. "This is just the beginning."

.........................................

"What the freakin' hell did that bitch do to me?" Glory yelled angrily, clutching her head. Willow stood a few feet away, smiling triumphantly as the bolt of energy flowing from her fingertips effectively stunned the hell god. Then she backed off, running to Tara, preparing the spell to bring back her sanity.

"That's not the least of your troubles. You've got two very pissed off slayers to deal with," Buffy said, quickly taking Willow's place, with Faith just behind her. "Be careful," Buffy whispered back to her.

"I know, I'm not gonna break," Faith whispered back, half-heartedly angry, though pleased that Buffy was concerned. Then they rushed, the battle with Glory beginning.

...........................................

"Okay, Spike," Kara said as an opening formed between Glory's minions. "Time to get our asses up that tower."

"Keep them safe, yeah, mate?" Spike said, glancing back at Callum and motioning toward the Scoobies crouched behind some packing crates. Callum nodded. Then he and Kara took off running, dashing between the minions and crazy people, their feet banging on the metal stairs of the tower.

........................................

"Tara?" Willow asked, stroking the side of her girlfriend's face as she finished the spell. The confusion disappeared from her eyes and Tara looked up at Willow.

"Willow...I got so lost," she murmured.

"I'll always find you, baby," Willow said, kissing her passionately.

"Less with the smoochies, more with the helping to fight," Xander instructed, effectively ending their moment. Willow looked over at him and smiled goofily, then glanced up at the tower.

"Uh, guys? Is there someone up there?"

....................................

"Hey kid...wanna see a trick?"

"Move!" Kara yelled as she looked up, seeing Doc rapidly approaching Dawn. Spike growled, his face transforming into his inner demon, and he flew the rest of the way up the tower.

"I really wouldn't do that if I were you, mate," he growled as his feet hit the top stair. Only a few feet separated him from the demon called Doc, a loyal follower of Glory.

"Spike!" Dawn yelled, hope filling her voice upon seeing the vampire.

"Hang on, Nibblet," Spike instructed, advancing.

Kara ran up the stairs, her feet pounding on the metal and sending shockwaves up through her legs. Her heart was pounding. She could see Spike advancing on Dawn and Doc. "Come on," she muttered, praying that Spike wouldn't fail this time.

"You don't come near the girl, Doc," Spike said menacingly.

"I don't smell a soul anywhere on you...why do you care?"

"I made a promise to a lady," Spike answered solemnly.

"Who? The Slayer?" Doc said, laughing.

"No," Spike replied. "Her mum." Rushing on the demon, he grabbed Doc, wrestling with him for the knife in his hand.

...........................................

"Tell her it's over. She missed her shot. She goes. She ever -- EVER -- comes near me and mine again...," Buffy growled, trailing off as Ben interrupted her.

"We won't. I swear," he assured her, fear shining in his eyes. Buffy quickly walked away to find the others. When she was gone, Giles slowly walked up to Ben, a grim look on his face.

"Can you move?" He asked the injured man calmly.

"Need a minute," Ben replied, breathing heavily. "She could have killed me."

"No she couldn't. Never. And sooner or later, Glory will re-emerge and make Buffy pay for that mercy, and the world with her. Buffy even knows that, and still she couldn't take a human life. She's a hero, you see. She's not like us," Giles said, kneeling down beside the man. Ben looked at him warily.

"Us?"

..................................

Kara watched from the top stair of the tower as Doc drove the knife deep into Spike's gut. "I'll send the lady your regrets," Doc muttered, preparing to hurl Spike off the tower.

"I bloody well don't think so," Spike growled, and grabbing onto the demon's coat, both toppling off the tower and onto the ground below. Kara rushed over to the railing, watching them fall, and wincing as they hit the ground.

"He okay?" Dawn asked worriedly, trying to catch a glimpse of them, but failing.

"He'll live," Kara muttered and then rushed over to free Dawn from her binds.

Below, the group assembled around Buffy and Faith, who were looking up at the tower. "Can you see what's going on?" Buffy asked.

"It's alright," Spike said, limping up to them. "She's fine. Kara's bringing her down."

"What happened to you?" Faith asked, giving him the once over.

Spike rolled his eyes. "There was a demon. Pushed me off the tower. Took him with me. He's dead now," Spike said triumphantly.

Giles wandered up to the group, cleaning his glasses on his shirt. "Get the deed done?" Spike asked lowly, coming up beside the watcher. Giles somberly nodded.

"Spike!" Dawn yelled, rushing over to the vampire and throwing her arms around him. Kara trailed behind her, surveying the group, glad to see everyone alive and well.

"So, night's still young," Callum said. "Drinks?"

The group walked away, laughing and chatting amongst themselves. Kara strayed behind, distancing herself from them. She was happy they had succeeded, but a great fear held her heart. Her eyes became unsettled and, looking toward the sky, she muttered, "From beneath you it devours."


	25. The Third Law of Motion

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Okay, finally out of Season Five, that only took forever. Thanks ever so much for the reviews and keep 'em coming.

Previously:

The group walked away, laughing and chatting amongst themselves. Kara strayed behind, distancing herself from them. She was happy they had succeeded, but a great fear held her heart. Her eyes became unsettled and, looking toward the sky, she muttered, "From beneath you it devours."

Chapter Twenty-Four:

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction," Willow said, reading from Dawn's textbook. "You get that? It's like with fish"-

"Wait, fish? What do fish have to do with Physics?" Dawn asked, suddenly confused.

"Patience, luv," Spike said, exasperated. He and Willow had been tutoring Dawn on Newton's Laws of Motion for the passed hour. Though it was slow going, Spike relished the moment when Dawn's face would light up in understanding and she would let loose with a brilliant smile.

"Fish use their fins to propel themselves through water. The fins push backwards and with the same force, the water pushes the fish forwards," Faith explained, leisurely strolling out of the training room with a towel in her hand. Willow, Spike, and Dawn gaped at her in shock. She paused, mid stride, and glared at them. "What? I'm not stupid, you know," she grumbled, jumping into one of the chairs around the table in the center of the Magic Box.

"Apparently not," Spike said, quite impressed.

"Oh! I get it," Dawn exclaimed, squealing happily. Spike smiled.

"Thank goddess," Willow muttered, flipping the textbook shut.

It was nearing four o'clock in the afternoon. Over the summer, Giles had sent Willow and Tara to the Coven in England in order to learn more about their magical gifts. The real purpose was for Willow to learn to control her magic, a purpose that was achieved masterfully. The Magic Box was relatively empty. Sighing, the watcher surveyed the room, sitting on the stool behind the cash register. Buffy was training in the back, though he doubted his two slayers achieved much more than an occasional grope in between punches. Now that they had revealed their relationship to the entire group, who quickly accepted it upon seeing how drastically happier they both were, the slayers were noticeably less subtle.

Anya was taking inventory and he could vaguely hear her humming some ancient tune. Though Anya tended to grate on his nerves, she was invaluable in running the store, and had proven to be quite a noble companion in the fight against evil. Glancing at his watch, Giles noted that Xander and Callum were due to arrive any moment. Xander had convinced Callum to give construction a try, an occupation the scrawny Englishman had taken to immediately.

Joyce, having successfully battled her brain tumor, had gone back to work at the gallery earlier in the summer. Though she was busy, she made time to come to the Magic Box and take part in the Scooby meetings when she could. She always wanted to know what her three daughters were facing, now having fully accepted Faith into the family as Buffy's girlfriend, Dawn's other sister, and her other daughter. Tara would be arriving shortly from her afternoon class; an event Giles could practically feel Willow anticipating.

The only person unaccounted for in their little family was Kara. Shortly after the battle with Glory, Kara had packed a bag and disappeared, leaving a note for Callum instructing him not to worry, for she would be back soon. From their previous conversations, Callum assumed she had gone off to contact the Powers that Be. Giles could tell each person missed the dark haired future slayer immensely. There was always an empty chair wherever they were gathered, a constant reminder that something wasn't right, that someone was gone.

Giles found himself worrying about her constantly, always hoping she was alright, that nothing had happened to her. A large part of him was intensely curious about why she had gone to seek out the Powers that Be, who notoriously refused direct communication with anyone. Usually, people had to contact them through the Oracles. However, Kara was convinced they would see her. That fact alone indicated something big was coming, possibly something quite terrible. Things had been slow in Sunnydale since the demise of Glory. Though some strange things had been happening, they had been unable to pinpoint any particular cause.

Faith watched as Buffy sauntered into the room, glowing from the exertion of her training. Buffy caught her eye and smiled, moving over to her slowly, almost predatorily. "I totally kicked your ass in there," Buffy whispered huskily, capturing the dark slayer's lips with her own in a short, but intensely powerful kiss.

"I was holding back," Faith said, trying to salvage some dignity. Buffy shot her a look. "Or not."

"So, quick patrol tonight and then the Bronze?" Buffy asked, pulling a chair up along side Faith and sitting.

"Sounds like a plan," Faith said, then paused. "You know, B, I was thinkin'."

"That's never good," Buffy muttered jokingly.

Faith ignored her. "Maybe we should start taking Dawn with us on patrol."

"She's way too young," Buffy said automatically.

"Oh yeah? I was called when I was fourteen. So were you. She's fifteen now, B. Besides, it's not like you can shelter her from all the big bad in the world. I mean, we live on the Hell mouth, B. She needs to learn how to protect herself," Faith argued.

Buffy paused, about to argue back, when she realized she had no ground to stand on. Faith was right. "Hey, Dawn," Buffy said, capturing her younger sister's attention. "Feel like coming on patrol tonight?"

"Really?" Dawn asked excitedly. Spike looked worried.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" He asked.

Buffy rolled her eyes. Ever since Spike had promised her mother to watch out for Dawn, he had turned into an obsessive bodyguard. "Would you like to come with us too?" Buffy asked sweetly, though clearly mocking him.

"Yes," Spike said, ignoring her tone.

"Fine, you both come," Faith said, suddenly standing. "I don't know about you, B, but I'm kinda hungry."

Buffy smiled, knowing the double meaning behind that statement. "Yeah, me too. Famished really. Let's go," Buffy said grabbing Faith by the hand. "Six o'clock at the house for all those willing to patrol," Buffy announced before she and Faith disappeared out of the door.

"Could that have been anymore obvious?" Dawn asked, turning her attention back to her homework as the adults around her collectively blushed.

...................................

-Africa-

The sun was setting over the plain, a giant, red ball of fire that covered the entire Western part of the sky. Kara paused, watching it slowly dip below the horizon. Night was coming on fast, but she was almost to her destination. She turned, looking toward a cluster of hills just in the distance. It had taken her three months to find this place, the place where mankind supposedly originated, the place man first stepped foot onto the ground. It was here a direct portal to the Powers that Be existed, though few tried to use it. It was incredibly difficult to find, requiring a week's hike through the desert and then a vast plain. Then one had to navigate a system of caves until a large cavern opened up, where the pool of life trickled.

Once one reached the pool, it was no guarantee the Powers would even open the portal. However, Kara knew they were calling to her, she could feel it in her bones. The earth seemed to tremble when she walked, paths clearing before her as if knowing she had some sacred mission. Kara reached the opening of the cave as the last of the sun disappeared below the earth. She pulled a torch out of her bag, lighting it with one of Spike's lighters. The flame leapt up instantly, throwing shadows through the dark.

Kara began to descend, advancing further and further below the surface of the earth. It took her several hours to negotiate the caves. With little light, it was difficult to see the hidden dangers that waited, tremendous pitfalls and cracks that led to nothing. The humidity was nearly unbearable and Kara felt as if she couldn't breathe. Just when she had started to regret the journey, she felt a blast of cold air on her face and the cave opened out into a giant cavern.

"Wow," she muttered, extending the torch before her and marveling at the size of the underground room. Massive, ornate stalactites hung from the ceiling, dripping water down onto the smooth, rock floor. The pool of life lay just ahead, its black waters ominous. Kara walked to them slowly, peering into the mirrored surface. The water suddenly began to ripple. Setting the torch down in a crack between two rocks, she turned back to the pool as the portal opened, leading to the dimension of the Powers that Be.

Taking a deep breath, Kara moved forward. She stepped into the portal, the powerful energy seeming to tear her body apart for a moment. Closing her eyes from the pain, she felt a warm current take hold of her body, pushing her forward. Then everything was gone. When Kara opened her eyes again, she was standing in a large room, ornately furnished with a roaring fire in a fireplace against the far wall.

"We've been waiting for you."


	26. The First

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: I've got like three cases to brief, so much work to do, but here's an update for ya. Might not be as many this weekend, but I'll do the best I can. Also, I'm combining seasons 6 and 7 because I'm not a big fan of the Evil Trio and there's so much more stuff to work with regarding the First Evil. So, for the sake of my sanity, the events in season seven are just going to happen one year earlier.

Previously:

Taking a deep breath, Kara moved forward. She stepped into the portal, the powerful energy seeming to tear her body apart for a moment. Closing her eyes from the pain, she felt a warm current take hold of her body, pushing her forward. Then everything was gone. When Kara opened her eyes again, she was standing in a large room, ornately furnished with a roaring fire in a fireplace against the far wall.

"We've been waiting for you."

Chapter Twenty-Five:

"That was good," Buffy said, helping her sister to her feet. "But next time, maybe try less with the squealing, more with the staking."

"I don't know, B. I think it works for her. You've got the puns and Dawn has the frightened teenage girl shriek that makes all vampires temporarily deaf, dumb, and blind," Faith joked, lighting up a cigarette as she sat on a crumbling gravestone.

It was nearing midnight and the sky was darker than usual, with thick clouds covering the moon. Faith looked up into the sky and shivered slightly.

"We should get back home. Someone starts school tomorrow," Buffy said, smiling as Dawn groaned.

"Whose bright idea was it to build the high school directly over top the ruins of the old high school, which was oh so successful?" Dawn whined, shoving her stake in her pocket. For only her second night out on patrol, she had done amazing well, staking her third vampire that evening.

"You got me," Buffy answered, wrapping her jacket tighter around her body. A cold wind had picked up, effectively sweeping in fall.

"Heading home then?" Faith asked, hopping off the headstone and stomping out her cigarette as Buffy walked over to her, linking her arm with the dark slayer's.

"Might as well. Wasn't too much going on tonight anyway," Buffy said as the three women began walking toward the cemetery gates. Ahead of them, Buffy could see the outline of a dark figure, hands in its pockets, seemingly waiting. "Slow up, Dawn," Buffy said, reaching a hand out and placing it on Dawn's shoulder. "You see that?"

"Yeah," Dawn said, looking back at Buffy and Faith. "Vampire?"

"No," Faith said almost immediately. Though her vampire sense weren't as developed as Buffy's, she could tell right away that the figure was something else entirely. "It's something else."

"Come on," Buffy said, her walk turning predatory as she pulled her stake out of her jacket and advanced. Faith followed closely behind her, stake in hand as well, with Dawn practically tripping on her heels.

"Let's make this easy," Buffy yelled as they approached the figure, who stood only a few yards away, but was still encompassed in darkness. "Come out into the light."

The figure stepped forward, the light of the streetlamp by the cemetery gates illuminating his face. Faith froze, every muscle in her body tense. Her eyes narrowed and she prepared to lunge forward, but Buffy placed a hand on her arm, halting her. "Miss me?" Riley asked, grinning widely.

"You know"- Buffy started, but was instantly cut off by a low growl to her left. Turning, she saw Dawn leap forward, charging at Riley. Bringing her fist back, she swung as hard as she could. But where her fist should have connected with his face, all she felt was air and she stumbled forward, passing through Riley altogether.

"Holy shit," Faith muttered, watching Dawn tumble to the grass as the momentum of her missed punch propelled her forward.

"You're a ghost?" Buffy asked, shocked and a bit angry with her sister.

"Not exactly," Riley said, stepping closer. Dawn cautiously stood, watching him from behind.

Suddenly the figure began to blur, its molecules rearranging into a new face – Jesse. Buffy blanched, staring into the eyes of Willow and Xander's dead best friend, one of the first people she had failed to save. "From beneath you it devours," he said, and then he was gone.

............................................

"From beneath you it devours," a voice boomed out, shaking the room as Kara stood, waiting for the Powers to reveal themselves.  
"I know that phrase," Kara said, half whispering. "I've heard it before."

"Of course, it's the mantra of the First Evil," a gentler voice said, from behind her. Spinning around, Kara saw a woman step out of the shadows. She was dressed in a flowing white robe, her dark hair bound up, loose strands cascading around her face. Kara couldn't quite place her age. Though her appearance was that of youthful, vibrant, and beautiful woman, there was a depth of wisdom behind her eyes that exceeded the bounds of time.

"You're one of the Powers?" Kara asked, watching as the woman approached.

"Yes. I have no name as you would know, but call me Veronica," Veronica said, smiling warmly. "Please sit."

Kara did as she was instructed, Veronica sitting across from her. "You called me here," Kara stated expectantly.

"Yes, we did. When we sent you back here, we had hoped that by saving Buffy, you would prevent the First Evil from rising. However, there was a complication," Veronica said. "You were not meant to go back."

"What do you mean? You sent me there," Kara said in confusion.

"Yes, we did. We had hoped that you and your ally would slip through the cracks, but we were wrong. In sending you back, we altered the line of slayers, like Buffy did when she was resurrected."

"So the First Evil will still come?"

"Yes, it will, only much sooner. It's in Sunnydale already, spreading seeds of doubt and mistrust. I fear this alters things, the tide of events. I can no longer say what will happen there, or how it is you will defeat it," Veronica said, her voice low and sad, almost defeated. "You must contact the Watcher's Council at once."

"What if they won't listen?" Kara asked.

"Then contact the Coven. They have ties within the Council. There are two factions, constantly at war. Quentin Travers is in control now, but only so long as his opposition does not feel compelled to remove him. The Coven can be very persuasive," Veronica hinted, leaning back in the chair.

"What about Sunnydale? How are we supposed to stop the First without destroying the entire town?"

"That, my dear, is why we called you. We cannot go there ourselves. You must be our emissary," Veronica stood, moving around in front of Kara, and kneeling. Taking Kara's hand in hers, she placed her other hand against Kara's temple. "Close your eyes," she instructed. Kara acquiesced, her eyes fluttering shut. A long moment passed and Kara wondered what was happening. Then a blinding pain stuck her and everything turned white.


	27. Listen Closely

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: This should be my religion paper...lovely how inspiration strikes at the most convenient times, isn't it? Also, I must admit that season 7 is a bit fuzzy for me and I don't think I caught all the episodes, so apologies if something isn't quite right.

Previously:

Suddenly the figure began to blur, its molecules rearranging into a new face – Jesse. Buffy blanched, staring into the eyes of Willow and Xander's dead best friend, one of the first people she had failed to save. "From beneath you it devours," he said, and then he was gone.

...............

"That, my dear, is why we called you. We cannot go there ourselves. You must be our emissary," Veronica stood, moving around in front of Kara, and kneeling. Taking Kara's hand in hers, she placed her other hand against Kara's temple. "Close your eyes," she instructed. Kara acquiesced, her eyes fluttering shut. A long moment passed and Kara wondered what was happening. Then a blinding pain stuck her and everything turned white.

Chapter Twenty-Six:

She was running. Her heart was pounding in her chest, squeezing and pushing blood out into her veins at an alarming rate. Echoes bounced off the walls from her feet pounding into the ground. The impact caused vibrations to shoot up her aching legs, burning the muscles. She had never run so fast in her entire life. Behind her, she could still hear the footsteps of her assailant, advancing closer and closer.

It was like a nightmare; no matter how fast she ran, he always seemed to be two steps ahead of her, always lingering, always waiting. She turned back to survey the distance between them, once again dismayed that he had caught up with her. When she turned back around, she noticed too late the figure rushing toward her. He hit her just under the chin with what looked like an iron bar. Her teeth slammed together and she could taste blood in her mouth from biting down on her tongue. The impact stopped her dead, dropping her to the ground.

Her eyes blurred over and when they cleared, she could see a man leaning over her with a knife in his hand. His eyes had been cut out, scarred with xs. He didn't say anything; he just stared at her, seeing nothing, but feeling everything. Then he reached back, and with one swift motion, plunged the knife into her chest. Pain shot through her mind and she mumbled something unintelligible, something in a different tongue.

Buffy shot out of bed at the same moment as Faith, both drenched in sweat, both panting from their nightmares. "Finch?" Buffy asked, looking over at Faith in concern. Faith shook her head.

"Girl getting gutted by some blind guy," she mumbled, falling back onto the bed and rubbing her head with her hand. Buffy didn't say anything; just continued to stare at her. "What?" Faith asked finally.

"I dreamed the same thing," Buffy whispered, lying back down, next to her girlfriend.

"What is that, like a slayer thing?" Faith asked, rolling to the side and propping herself up on an elbow. Buffy mimicked her position.

"Well, we've shared dreams before," Buffy said thoughtfully. "But this was different. We weren't actually in this dream. It was more like a movie, like we were just watching."

"Yeah, a movie with Technicolor and surround sound," Faith muttered. "Tell Giles in the morning?" She asked, running her free hand up the length of Buffy's arm, smiling as her skin reacted to the touch.

"Giles in the morning," Buffy answered distantly, losing herself in Faith's eyes. "Don't wanna go back to sleep," she pouted. Faith smiled wickedly.

"I can think of something else we can do," she said huskily, leaning forward and capturing Buffy's lips with her own.

...........................................

"Ow," Kara muttered as consciousness slammed into her, brining her back to reality. Two things she noticed immediately: she felt tingly all over, as if she had jammed her whole arm in a very large, very powerful electrical socket, and the second, it was damn hot. Opening her eyes, she instantly shut them again after staring directly into the sun. "Ow again," she mumbled, sitting up. Her head throbbed, though the pain was lessening quickly. Rubbing her face, she opened her eyes again and looked around.

She was lying in the middle of the plain that led to the portal of the Powers that Be. In the distance, she could see the rock formation that contained the caves. "How did I get here?" She wondered, distinctly remembering meeting with one of the Powers. However, she didn't remember leaving, much less falling asleep in the middle of an African plain.

The grasses around her were swaying in the breeze, which though hot, had a twinge of cool behind it. The sun was directly overhead, signaling noon. She wondered absently how long she had been laying there. Pulling herself to her feet, she wiped her hands on her black jeans. Something was different. She felt incredibly powerful. Looking down at her hands, she tried to remember what happened. Veronica had knelt before her, said something, and pressed her hand to Kara's head. She didn't remember anything after that.

"You have been safe," a voice behind her said. Spinning around quickly, Kara saw Veronica standing there, smiling indulgently.

"What's going on?" Kara asked. "I thought you couldn't come down here."

"Oh, I'm not really here," Veronica said, walking forward, passing directly through Kara.

"Okay," Kara said, turning back around. "Don't do that again, it's creepy."

"I apologize," Veronica said, a laugh in her smile. "I suppose you're wondering what I did to you?"

"The thought had crossed my mind," Kara muttered.

"Do you see that rock?" Veronica asked, pointing to a stone that lay a couple of feet away.

"Yeah."

"Melt it," Veronica instructed simply. Kara stared at her a moment.

"I can't," she said, wondering what kind of game the Power was playing.

"You can now," Veronica replied. "So melt it."

Kara turned to face the rock. Gazing at it a moment, she focused her mind on making it burn. When the rock burst into flames, melting down into a little pool of mud, Kara nearly fell over in shock. "Damn," she murmured, entirely impressed. "What did you do?"

"We may not be able to go to Sunnydale, but that doesn't mean we can't send our power there," Veronica stated, walking up to Kara. She paused just before the girl, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. "Listen closely."

.............................

Spike faintly whistled as he walked down the street. It was nearly three o'clock in the morning and he had decided to do a bit of grocery shopping at the 24-hour convenience store. He turned down his street, heading toward the house and Callum shared, with a brown, paper grocery bag in the crook of his arm. His missed Kara. She had been gone for nearly four months, without a word. Though Callum usually kept him company at night, the man had a job, and couldn't stay up with Spike through all the wee hours of the morning. Kara, on the other hand, was used to sleeping during the day. When she was around, she and Spike would stay up all night, talking, playing cards, or wandering aimlessly about Sunnydale.

Now he had to wander by himself. He briefly considered dropping by the Summers house to bother Dawn, but he figured Joyce would not particularly approve. Dawn was nearing her sixteenth birthday and everyday that passed, his feelings for her grew stronger. Now, more than ever, he needed Kara around to advise him how to proceed. He had tried to broach the topic with Callum over a couple shots of whiskey, but Spike immediately gathered that Callum was absolutely clueless about romance, or the future for that matter.

Spike chuckled, thinking of how the slayer would react to his dating her sister. He could only imagine the strict curfews, harsh looks, and perpetual threats he would garner from the blonde. Fortunately, he thought Faith would help calm the girl down. After all, he and Faith had become fast friends, and she relatively knew of his feelings toward the teenage key. If any of the Scoobies questioned it, Spike would only have to point to the fact that Buffy started dating Angel when she was fifteen, and Spike was even younger than his mentor.

Spike was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the group of men following him, nor the figure that dashed out behind him and whacked him in the back of the head with something quite heavy. Falling forward, he dropped the bag of groceries, landing on the road. "Not good," he muttered, semi-conscious, as the men picked him up and dragged him away. Then everything went black.

When he awoke, he was chained up, suspended above a very evil looking seal. Instantly, he recognized his location as being somewhere below the new high school, somewhere very close to the Hellmouth, possibly even over it. Two men with x'd out eyes approached him with knives, cutting his wrists. "Hey, that hurt," Spike howled, watching as his blood flowed out and dribbled down onto the seal.

Suddenly the ground began to shake. "Really not good."


	28. Candles in the Dark

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"Hey, that hurt," Spike howled, watching as his blood flowed out and dribbled down onto the seal.

Suddenly the ground began to shake. "Really not good."

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

"Having fun yet?" Kara smirked, wandering up to Spike who was still hanging above the seal.

"Stop mocking and get me the bleeding hell down!" Spike yelled, though he wasn't particularly angry. On the contrary, he was absolutely elated to see his friend and roommate back in Sunnydale. Studying her face for a moment, however, he could see that there was something incredibly different about her. She radiated with a hidden power, something the others wouldn't notice, but with his vampire senses, smacked him in the face.

"Fine, fine. Take away all my fun," Kara said, sighing dramatically. Pulling a knife out from one of her booted feet, she gently cut the binds on Spike's arms. With the last of them cut, Spike fell face first onto the ground.

"A little warning would have been nice, pet," Spike said, his voice muffled in the dirt. Picking himself up, he wiped the dust off his clothes and surveyed his wounds. "Bollocks," he whispered to himself.

"Don't worry. It's not _that _bad," Kara said, peering over his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get the hell outta here, huh?" Spike responded, looking around the room.

"Come on. It's this way. There's nobody around right now," Kara said, taking him by the hand and leading him out through a tunnel. "Don't worry, it's nighttime."

"Good. 'Cuz if your big plan was to rescue me only to get me burned to a crisp, well, that wasn't too bloody brilliant," Spike commented, smiling at the glare Kara shot back at him.

Once they were free from the confines of the high school, Spike and Kara visibly relaxed, each slowing their pace to a stroll. Kara shuddered. "You can feel the evil coming off that place from a mile away," she said.

"Well, that is why they say high school is hell," Spike retorted, rewarded with a laugh from his counterpart. "So, about Dawn..."

...........................................

The next morning found Kara at the doorstep of Giles' apartment, waiting for him to open to the door. "Yes?" Giles said, swinging the door open. He smiled upon seeing Kara, opening the door a little wider. "Ah, you're back I see. Do come in."

"Thanks," Kara said, stepping into the apartment. It looked and smelled distinctly of Giles, which made her smile.

"Where did you go exactly?" Giles asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Africa," Kara said quickly. "But that's not why I'm here. I need to go to England, and I need you to come with me."

"England? Why England?" Giles asked, though he already knew the answer.

"I need to see some members of the Watcher's Council. It's important," Kara said, looking the man directly in the eye. He hesitated, seemingly getting lost in her gaze.

"There's something different about you," he finally said, his voice low, almost reverent.

Kara smiled. "So will you come with me?" She asked expectantly.

"Of course," Giles answered.

"Good. We leave tonight. I suggest you tell the others and pack. There are things I need to do first," Kara said, turning and walking back to the door of his apartment. "I'll be back here at seven."

....................................

"Do you really think she cares?" The voice sneered, enveloping Faith. She stood in front of the mirror in her and Buffy's room. She couldn't see a reflection, but she knew the woman was there. Turning, she saw her mother lounging against the wall a few feet away.

"You're not real," Faith whispered, her voice almost childish.

"I'm as real as it gets, baby. This is a nice set up you've got here. Sleeping in her bed, eating her food, ravaging her body. How long do you think it'll be before she gets tired of you? You do tend to grate on the nerves, Faith. I mean shit, what I wouldn't do to get away from you – always nagging, always hanging on my every word. You're such a nuisance," her mother spat, standing and sauntering over to Faith.

"Get out," Faith growled, her hands curling into fists, hanging uselessly at her sides. Her fingernails dug into her palms and she could smell blood.

"You're nothing but a whore, Faith. People use you and toss you like a piece of garbage. She doesn't love you. She loves your tongue. She loves your fingers. But she doesn't give a shit about you. And she never will."

"Faith?" Dawn asked, knocking on the door. "You in there?"

"I'll be seeing you, baby," the woman said, before disappearing.

Faith stood alone in the middle of the room, with blood dripping down from her hands. Turning back to the mirror, she gazed at herself. "Faith?" Dawn asked, opening the door. "I heard voices, what's going on?"

Dawn walked into the room, watching the dark haired slayer. Then she saw the blood. "Shit, Faith, what did you do?" Dawn asked, rushing over to her. Faith just stared in the mirror, unhearing. Grabbing one of Faith's hands, Dawn stuck her finger in the wound.

"Ow!" Faith yelled, turning to glare at the teenage key. "What did you do that for?"

"You weren't paying attention," Dawn simply stated. "What happened?"

Faith sighed. "Nothing, just something like the ghosts from last night. Came and paid me a little visit," she said, glancing down at her hands, seeing the wounds for the first time. "Shit, B's gonna kill me," she muttered.

"Come on," Dawn said, grabbing Faith's arm and pulling her out into the hallway. They marched into the bathroom. "Sit," Dawn instructed, pointing to the edge of the bathtub. "I'll fix you up."

Faith did as she was told, the words of her mother replaying through her mind. "You ever feel like none of this is real?" She asked suddenly. Dawn knelt down beside her, rubbing alcohol and bandages in her hand.

"All the time," she answered softly.

"What convinces you it is?"

Dawn grabbed Faith's hand, applying pressure to the wound with an alcohol laden cotton swab. Faith hissed in pain. "You feel that? If all of this wasn't real, that wouldn't have hurt." Faith smiled. Dawn finished her ministrations, gently bandaging Faith's hands. "I heard what she said, you know. All those things. They're not true," Dawn said, putting her supplies away.

"How do you know?"

"When Buffy looks at you, she gets this light in her eyes. It's like you show her the way. You're this candle in the dark," Dawn answered thoughtfully, her mind wandering to Spike. She smiled, knowing that he was her candle in the dark.

"You're pretty smart for a mystical blob of energy," Faith joked, rising to her feet. She felt better, calmed and reassured by Dawn's words, though she feared doubt would always linger in the back of her mind.

"Come on, I think breakfast is ready. Besides, Buffy should know a ghost was here," Dawn said, grabbing Faith by the arm and pulling her out into the hallway again. Faith chuckled.

"I can move of my own will you know," she said as Dawn halted at the top of the stairs and shot a glare back at her.

"Yeah, but we all know how well that works out."

.............................

"When can we tell them?" Anya whined, glaring over at Xander. They were the only people in the Magic Box that morning. Willow and Tara were in class, Giles had yet to surface, Callum was at the site, Spike was probably asleep, and the Summers household was just embracing the idea of consciousness.

Xander smiled. "Well we can't very well tell them now can we? There's no one here," he said jokingly.

"Not funny. I want to tell them. They should know that we're engaged and happy and having terrific sex. It'll make them glad," Anya stated, getting up to count the money. Whenever she was irritated or stressed, counting the money calmed her.

"I think maybe we should just tell them about the being engaged," Xander said. "I'm not so sure they want to know the rest."

"Of course we do, Xan," Kara said, stepping out from the back training room. "The fact that you're having terrific sex makes my life worth living," she teased, joining him at the table.

"You heard everything? You won't tell the others will you? I want to tell them," Anya pouted.

"My lips are sealed," Kara said, smiling indulgently at the ex-vengeance demon.

The bell over the door roared into life. Perking up, Anya smiled widely and went to greet the costumer. "If you don't marry her, Xander, you're the stupidest man alive," Kara said, looking over at him pointedly.

"I take it I did something stupid in your world?" Xander asked meekly.

"Of course. This demon came and convinced you that you'd turn out like your father and that Anya would be better off without you. Fact is, none of it's true," Kara said thoughtfully, her eyes turning wistful. "You're nothing like your father." She clearly remembered the times her daddy spent with her. There was so much love in his eye. She thought he was the greatest thing in the world.

"If it was a demon, why did I listen to it?" Xander asked, mentally smacking himself.

"It took the shape of an old man, claimed to be you, and showed you things. All of them were lies. The point is, Xander, if you don't marry her, I will kill you myself," Kara threatened, her eyes deadly serious, then she smiled softly.

"Check. Marry Anya or suffer violent and torturous death. I think I got it," Xander joked, though the point of Kara's message was clear. He had seriously screwed up in her world and he was not going to do it again.

"By the way, Giles and I are going to England for a little while. We need to talk to the Council. Tell Anya she's in charge of the store," Kara said, rising to her feet.

"Why do you need to talk to the Council?" Xander asked, his dislike for them clear in his voice.

"Don't worry about it. Be careful, Xan. Ask Buffy about the apparitions she, Faith, and Dawn saw. Tell her that it's not a ghost. It's the First Evil. It paid Angel a little visit back in '99. It's incorporeal, so it can't hurt anyone, but it has messengers. Bringers. They're looking for all of the potential slayers and watchers, trying to kill them, to end the line of slayers. Tell Buffy her dreams are real. We'll be back as soon as we can," Kara said, smiling at Xander before disappearing out of the back door.

Xander banged his head on the table. "Why do I get the feeling this is gonna end badly?"


	29. England

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"Don't worry about it. Be careful, Xan. Ask Buffy about the apparitions she, Faith, and Dawn saw. Tell her that it's not a ghost. It's the First Evil. It paid Angel a little visit back in '99. It's incorporeal, so it can't hurt anyone, but it has messengers. Bringers. They're looking for all of the potential slayers and watchers, trying to kill them, to end the line of slayers. Tell Buffy her dreams are real. We'll be back as soon as we can," Kara said, smiling at Xander before disappearing out of the back door.

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

"Ah, home sweet home," Callum said as he stepped off the airplane and into Heathrow airport. "William bloody Shakespeare, Manchester United, the Tower of London, and English Porter. Does it get any better?"

"Relax, Callum. We're not here to sight see, remember?" Kara asked, stepping up beside him with Giles in tow. "Although I could use a drink," she amended upon seeing his slightly crestfallen expression. He immediately perked up.

"Well then. I know just where to go. Best pub in all of Englandâat least it was when I was alive. I don't know quite know if it's around yet," Callum said a bit apologetically, shrugging his shoulders.

"You know our hotel, yes? While you're out getting sloshed, I think I'll contact some old friends at the Council. I don't believe meeting with Quentin Travers immediately will do us much good. We need to go in the back door," Giles said, shifting his luggage between hands.

"Excellent plan," Callum said enthusiastically. "To the drinking," he declared and wandered off.

"Do keep an eye on him," Giles said in exasperation. Kara smirked.

"And here I was counting on him to keep an eye on me," she responded, throwing Giles a wink as she stalked off after Callum.

Thirty minutes later, Kara and Callum were standing outside a rather run down looking establishment. "I think they fixed it up by the time I got around to coming here," Callum said, looking the place over. "Either that or I was always so smashed; I never really noticed it looked like an outhouse."

Kara laughed. "I think I believe the latter. Come on," Kara said, taking his hand and leading him into the bar.

ââââââââ

"Jack, it's Rupert," Giles said into the phone. He stood on the street corner of the hotel, shielded from the chilly breeze by the pay phone booth.

"Rupert, it's been a while," the voice answered jovially.

"Yes, unfortunately. I hear you're leading a faction against Travers within the Council, is that right?'

A humorless chuckle answered. "That's right. Not like it does a bloody lot of good."

Giles smiled. "Oh, I think you're in for a bit of luck. I have some people with me that want to meet with you. They have some information you might find particularly pertinent."

"Oh? I'm available tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon. Drop by; I'd love to hear what they have to say."

"Excellent."

âââââââââââââ.

When Kara and Callum returned that evening, they were a bit tipsy. "Hey Giles," Kara said, smiling widely. "How'd it go?"

"I've got us a meeting with a friend of mine, Jack Borland, tomorrow at three. Here's your key. Get some rest," Giles said, giving them an indulgent smile.

"Thanks," Kara answered, grabbing the key and taking Callum by the hand, dragging him out the door.

"Hold on," Callum said, once they were out in the hallway.

"What's the problem?" Kara asked, turning around to face him. He looked a bit pale.

"Jack Borland," Callum said, half whispering.

"So?"

"That's my father."

ââââââââââââââ.

"Hey Spike!" Dawn said, smiling widely. "Raining?" She asked as he climbed in her bedroom window, water dripping off his hair.

"Just a bit," he said, shaking himself off. "Homework?"

Dawn made a face. "Yes," she said dejectedly.

"Not going well?"

"Not so much," Dawn said, slamming her book closed. "Nothing a break won't cure," she said. "You okay?" She asked, noticing that he was lingering by the window and a little more quiet than usual.

"Just fine," Spike said halfheartedly. Reaching into his duster, he pulled out a slightly crumpled bouquet of flowers. "Picked these for you," he said, thrusting them at her awkwardly. A smile slowly grew on Dawn's face as she took the flowers, smelling them. Spike watched her, enraptured.

"Thanks," she said sweetly. "Though, what's the occasion?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you something," Spike said hesitantly.

"Sure, what?"

"Well, there's this thing and I thought maybe you and I could," Spike stopped, growling low in his throat, as he started pacing. "What I'm trying to say is, that, well, there's"

"Spike?" Dawn asked, capturing his attention.

"Yeah?"

"Just ask already," she said smiling. Spike laughed as he skidded to a stop.

"I was wondering if you, maybe, wanted to go out tomorrow nightâwith me," Spike said, taking a deep breath once he had finished.

Dawn was practically beaming. "Yeah."


	30. Dinner Date

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"I was wondering if you, maybe, wanted to go out tomorrow night...with me," Spike said, taking a deep breath once he had finished.

Dawn was practically beaming. "Yeah."

Chapter Twenty-Nine:

"Callum, seriously, I don't see what the big deal is," Kara said in exasperation as she leaned against the bathroom doorframe. Callum was hunkered over the sink, rinsing his paler-than-death face. Unbeknownst to either of them, Giles was standing outside their hotel room door, able to hear every word. Though he felt the slightest twinge of guilt for spying on the couple, he desperately wished to know more about whom exactly they were. Kara had insinuated to him that she knew the others in her world, but never detailed the relationships she had to anyone. Giles knew even less about Callum's history.

"Don't see what the big deal is!?" Callum declared. "Jack Borland is my bleeding father, in the bleeding future, and you don't see what the big bleeding deal is?"

"Hello, I see my father from the future every bleeding day," Kara replied, her voice rising in volume as she became more and more irritated. "Or did you forget that I've got Xander's genetic material floating around in me somewhere?"

"I didn't forget that. But you have to understand, I never met my father. He died in an explosion when my mother was just a month pregnant with me," Callum explained. Kara sighed, knowing the explosion to be the very one they were in England to prevent.

"I didn't realize that," she said apologetically. "And he won't die this time around. With any luck, we'll be able to stop the explosion, or at least get the relevant members of the Watcher's Council somewhere safe when it happens."

Outside of their door, Giles nearly choked on his own saliva. "Xander," he muttered in shock. "Xander is her father. Who is her mother then, I wonder." Straightening up, he swiftly knocked on the door.

"Kara! Callum!" He said loudly. "It's nearly time for our appointment with Mr. Borland."

"Coming!" He heard them both yell back at the same time.

"It's gonna be okay," Kara said, moving over to Callum and resting her head on his shoulder. "Just try not to act weird...well, weirder than usual."

Callum smirked. "I'll do my best," he muttered, but smiled at her. "So, how about a kiss for luck?" He asked, hopefully. Kara smiled and leaned in, capturing his lips with hers. Running her tongue along his bottom lip, she plunged it into his mouth, moaning softly as his mouth moved against hers. The incessant knocking of Giles at the door broke them apart.

"We better go," Kara said reluctantly. Taking his hand, she led him out of the bathroom, opening the door to their hotel room. "Sleep well, Giles?" Kara asked, pulling Callum out and locking the door behind them.

"Exceptionally. It's always nice to come back here," Giles said a bit wistfully. Kara smiled.

"Well, let's get this over with then," she said as the trio began walking down the hallway.

A little over a half hour later, they were seated in a waiting room outside Jack Borland's office. There was hardly a soul in the building and the silence was so thick neither of the three felt like they could breathe properly. "Mr. Borland will see you now," the secretary said, smiling robotically and opening the office door for them.

"Thank you," Giles said, entering first. He and Jack greeted each other as old friends and the group quickly took their seats.

"Rupert said you had some information I would find particularly useful?" Jack asked, surveying the young man and woman sitting in front of him. The man looked oddly familiar, though he couldn't place where from, and he didn't seem to want to meet his eyes.

"I believe Giles has filled you in on our situation?" Kara asked, hoping to avoid an unnecessary explanation.

"Yes, he explained to me that you and Callum have come from the future," Jack said.

"Good. In the future, the Watcher's Council is entirely destroyed by the First Evil," Kara said.

"How?" Jack asked in disbelief.

"The First's allies blow up the Council's complex, thereby killing most of its staff and destroying all of the books, artifacts, and other objects the Council houses. To defeat the First, a spell was cast empowering every potential slayer with slayer strength, speed, skill, and healing," Kara said, her words practically memorized.

"The spell turned all of the potentials into actual slayers?" Jack asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Just about," Callum said, speaking up for the first time. He raised his eyes, meeting those of his father. The man was in his late thirties, with thick brown hair and steely blue eyes. Stubble graced his chin and he wore a blue button up shirt, rolled up to his elbows, with dusty black pants.

"I don't know if we can prevent the Council complex from being destroyed, however, we hope with your help, we can save most of the people and things that will be necessary to manage thousands of slayers across the world. In my time, there was no organizational hierarchy that took charge. Attempts were made, but with so many people spread across the world, no one could rally everyone together. However, I believe that you could be the one to do it," Kara said confidently. Jack looked a little more than rattled.

"How can I do all this?"

"Start removing things from the Council, things you have access to. Move all of your people to Sunnydale and send everything there that you can. Rent out houses and warehouses to store everyone and everything. Transfer Council funds to different accounts. The Coven has already agreed to move to Sunnydale. Then I need you to approach Quentin Travers. Tell him to get his people out. If he doesn't listen, the world's no worse off. But try to get as much out as possible," Kara replied.

"And do it as quickly as possible. We're not sure when all this will happen, but it could be as quickly as next week," Callum said, sensing his father's fear and apprehension.

"I know this sounds like a lot, Jack," Giles said. "But I'll be in Sunnydale. I can handle housing everyone and finding storage for the artifacts and books. Simply send everything to my address."

"And Mr. Borland," Kara said, capturing his attention. "I want you out of England in fourteen days. I don't care if you don't have everything. Two weeks from now, you're on a plane to Sunnydale, got me?"

"Yeah," Jack said, nodding vigorously. This was his opportunity, his chance to make a difference. He wasn't going to let it slip by.

"Well, I suggest you get started, we have a plan to catch," Giles said, rising to his feet. He shook his friend's hand as Kara and Callum left the office. "Keep in touch."

............................................

Spike took a deep breath. The sun had set just fifteen minutes ago and the sky was still lit with a pale shade of blue and orange. He was standing outside the Summers residence, preparing to pick up Dawn for their first date. Opting against the motorcycle, he had borrowed a car from a demon friend of his, which sat idling in the driveway. Joyce had helped him plan a time to arrive when Buffy would be out with Faith, so he wouldn't have to deal with Buffy's overprotective nature.

He was quite surprised at Joyce's enthusiasm over his dating her daughter. He had assumed that the very nature of what he was would be an indomitable obstacle. Apparently, he was wrong. Joyce had always seen him more of a man than a monster, a fact that he greatly appreciated. He quickly knocked on the door, deciding it was best to plunge in head first than stand outside all night trying to calm his nerves.

He had opted against his traditional black, leather duster. Instead, he wore a blue button up shirt with black jeans. His wardrobe didn't lend itself to much variety and he hoped Dawn wouldn't be disappointed. He had made reservations at an Italian restaurant just outside of town. Though he didn't need to eat food to survive, he didn't mind partaking in a little culinary adventure every once in a while. It's not like it hurt him any to eat.

Joyce opened the door, smiling warmly at him. "Come in," she said, opening the door for him.

"Thanks," Spike responded. Joyce smiled at the vampire; he was obviously nervous.

"Dawn's finishing up, she should be down in a few minutes," she said, suppressing a laugh. Standing before her was man nearly a hundred and fifty years old and he bouncing back and forth on his feet like this was his first date.

Spike was about to respond when Dawn appeared at the top of the stairs. He quite literally had to stop his jaw from hitting the floor. She was wearing a short dark blue dress that shimmered in the light, catching hidden specks of glitter. Her hair was elegantly piled on top of her head in a sort of spiraling bun, and little tendrils framed her face. By the time she reached the foot of the stairs, Spike thought the might faint.

"You look amazing," he managed to squeak out. Joyce snickered in the hallway.

"Don't be too late," she said as Spike offered Dawn his arm and led her out to the car.

"We won't," Dawn called back as her mother closed the front door. "Where'd you get the car from?" Dawn asked, trying to keep her voice from hitting the upper octaves. Though she was nervous, it helped to know Spike was as well.

"Demon friend of mine lent it to me," Spike responded. "Fixed it up real nice, had it all washed and waxed. Though I suppose it you can't really tell being that it's night and all."

"Looks all shiny to me," Dawn said as Spike opened the door for her. Sliding into the passenger's seat, she smiled at the "tropical breeze" air freshener smell that greeted her. "So where are we going?" She asked when Spike slid into the seat next to her. He stuck the key in the ignition and the car roared to life.

"Little place called the Italian Gardens just outside of town," Spike replied as he backed the car out of the driveway and switched gears. The car rambled forward. "From what I hear, the food's pretty good."

"Cool. I love Italian," Dawn said, settling into her seat. Spike smiled.

"Yeah, your mum told me," he said, watching her out of the corner of his eye. "You really do look beautiful tonight."

He could see Dawn blush slightly. "Thanks," she said lowly. "You're not so bad yourself. New shirt?"

Spike laughed. "Yeah, figured I'd get a bit cleaned up."

They parked in front of the restaurant a few minutes later. Spike opened the door for Dawn again, offering his arm, and leading her into the restaurant. Once they were seated and had ordered, Spike sat back and watched Dawn survey the room. It was a fancy place, with the soft glow of candles lighting up the room. A band was playing and there was a dance floor in the middle. A few couples were swaying to the rhythm.

"This place is amazing," Dawn finally said, turning her attention back to her blonde counterpart. Spike smiled.

"Not quite as amazing as you," he said, mentally kicking himself for how cheesy it sounded. But he meant every word. A brilliant smile lit up Dawn's face. The waiter brought their food out and as soon as he disappeared, Dawn practically dove into her plate. Spike watched her with an amused expression. He loved every sound she made, the way she held her fork, the delight he could see in her eyes from the taste. Even though he didn't particularly care about whatever dish was sitting in front of him, watching her eat with such enthusiasm made him want to taste everything.

Once they were finished eating, Dawn leaned forward with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Want to dance?" She asked, laughing at Spike's slight deer in the headlights look.

"If you want to, pet, but I'll warn you, I'm not so great," Spike said as Dawn grabbed his hand and dragged him out.

"It's not so hard," she said, as he wrapped his arms around her. Resting her head on his chest, she mumbled, "Just move with the music."

She breathed in deeply as Spike's distinct scent filled her nostrils. It was a bit strange not hearing his heart beat, but he was incredibly warm. She snuggled closer to him, sighing as he rested his forehead on the top of her head. The song ended and the next one began playing. Lifting her head, she gazed into Spike's eyes, almost drowning in their intensity. Leaning forward, she gently pressed her lips to his. The kiss deepened and she had never felt more complete in her life. When they broke away, both were breathing heavily, with awestruck expressions on their faces.

"Thanks, for tonight," Dawn finally said, recovering her senses. "No one's ever cared enough to do anything like this for me."

"You deserve only the best," Spike whispered, gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "And I'll give you a thousand more tonights just to see you smile."


	31. Bombs and Bombshells

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: This future stuff in confusing me. :-p Okay, my timeline may be a little, teensy, tiny bit screwy, but Callum is like late twenties, early thirties. Also, given that the show never went into any great detail regarding Faith's past, I'm going take it and run with it.

Previously:

"And Mr. Borland," Kara said, capturing his attention. "I want you out of England in fourteen days. I don't care if you don't have everything. Two weeks from now, you're on a plane to Sunnydale, got me?"

.....................

"Thanks, for tonight," Dawn finally said, recovering her senses. "No one's ever cared enough to do anything like this for me."

"You deserve only the best," Spike whispered, gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "And I'll give you a thousand more tonights just to see you smile."

Chapter Thirty:

"Hey Fai," the voice of her mother sneered, stopping Faith in her tracks as she walked toward the Magic Box to meet Buffy for lunch. Faith closed her eyes, her hands involuntarily clenching into fists as she breathed in deeply, trying to calm her rapidly palpitating heart.

"You're not real," Faith whispered, more to herself than the First. "You're a demon."

"Actually, I'm a lot more than that," the First said snickering as it circled around Faith until it was looking her in the eyes.

"You're all the same to me," Faith said sardonically, unflinchingly meeting the eyes of the woman who caused her so much pain.

"How are things with lover girl? I imagine you're the butch one of the pair, huh?"

"Stay away from her," Faith growled, stepping closer, though she knew any attempts to injure the First would be futile; Kara said it was incorporeal.

"I don't take orders from you. Buffy may be your little bitch, but I'm not," the First snarled back, her mother's eyes lighting up with intense anger. Faith involuntarily took a step back, knowing that look all too well from her childhood. The First smiled, a smug look twisting the woman's face into a cruel mockery of beauty.

"What do you want?" Faith asked wearily.

"How much do you know about your little friend Kara?" The First asked, obviously relishing in the superiority of having knowledge Faith lacked.

"Enough," Faith responded, her anger rising quickly once again. Kara had become like a sister to her in the two or so years they had known each other. Faith trusted her implicitly and any suggestion to the contrary infuriated her.

"Really? Because I was under the impression that you don't exactly know who she is."

"You know, as fun as this is and all, I've got places to be," Faith said dismissively, stepping around the ghost and continuing in her path to the Magic Box. The First quickly caught up with her.

"I think you'll want to hear this," it said, stepping in front of Faith again. She knew she could walk right through it, but somehow walking through the ghost of her mother seemed entirely inappropriate.

"Yeah, why's that?"

"Kara concerns you intimately," the First said, capturing Faith's attention instantly. Faith had always been curious as to Kara's relationship with her in the future. But Kara had never been forthcoming in any way, shape, or form.

"What do you mean?" Faith asked sharply, her eyes squinting in suspicion. The First circled around behind Faith, leaning up to whisper in her ear.

"She's your daughter," it said, its whispering voice floating into Faith's ear. Faith's eyes opened wide.

"What?" She asked, spinning around to face the First.

"From the future. She's your daughter from the future. Your and Buffy's that is," the First said matter-of-factly.

"But that's not possible," Faith reasoned.

"Oh, it is. Xander so lovingly donated his sperm. I guess since he could never have Buffy, the thought that his seed might stain her was as good as he could get," it said mockingly. Faith ignored its comments, letting the revelations that she and Buffy were together in the future and had a child wash over her. A small smile crept onto her face. "Oh, I wouldn't get too happy about all this," the First said, a twinge of anger in its voice.

"Why's that?" Faith asked, her guard flying back up.

The First grinned and looked down at a watch strapped to its ghostly wrist. "Because your daughter's gonna die in about seven minutes."

A shield of red flew up in Faith's eyes. Stepping menacingly closer, with her fists curled up into tight balls at her side, Faith growled, "What are you gonna do?"

"She, Callum, and Giles are on a bus coming to the depot from the airport. It's just outside of town now. There's a bomb on it," the First explained as if to a four year old. "If you hurry, you might be able to stop it in time."

Faith instantly took off running, her legs pounding into the sidewalk, utilizing all of her slayer speed. "Well, now that she's gone," the First said, its features blurring over as the face changed from that of Faith's mother to Faith herself. "I think I'll come out and play." Smiling, the First stalked away from the Magic Box, where Buffy sat waiting impatiently for Faith, toward the Summers home.

...................................

Buffy was a little more than irritated as she walked home from the Magic Box that afternoon. Faith hadn't shown up for their lunch date, Giles still hadn't returned, and she had just found out that morning that Spike was dating her sister. All in all, it was bad day. As she approached her house, she noticed Faith sitting on the front step smoking a cigarette.

"Hey," Buffy said, walking up to her. "Why didn't you show today?"

"What, I'm supposed to be at your every beck and call?" Faith sneered, standing up and flicking her cigarette away. When Buffy moved closer to her, she ducked down the stairs, wandering out onto the front lawn, just out of reach.

"No," Buffy said slowly, not quite sure what to make of her girlfriend's behavior. "We had a date."

"Dates are for normal people, B. We're not normal people."

"Okay, what's up? You're acting really weird. You okay?" Buffy asked, stepping forward again, only to have Faith step back.

"Just because I fuck you doesn't mean we have to have a share care circle every time I'm not acting just like you want me to," Faith spat, an intense anger flaring up in her eyes. Buffy stopped dead in her tracks, barely recognizing the woman standing in front of her. There was so much rage pouring off her. Buffy sucked in a breath, realizing that Faith was acting entirely like her old self.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Buffy said, a bit more harshly than she intended, but Faith's words cut deep.

Faith sneered, her beautiful face turning up into a wicked, evil smile. "What? I'm sorry, did I hurt your precious feelings? God forbid. The world might end if Buffy has a bad day. You're such a spoiled bitch, you know that?" Faith spat, relishing as Buffy flinched and backed away, tears springing to her eyes. "You know, as fun as this has been B," pausing she licking her lips, her eyes roaming over Buffy's body, "and it's been real fun...I'm kinda getting' bored. So whatever the fuck this is we've got going here, it's done," Faith said, laughing bitterly. Turning, she walked away, leaving Buffy standing bewildered and heartbroken on the front lawn.

..............................................

Faith's entire life seemed to flash before her eyes as she ran. Her hair was flying back wildly behind her and the wind was whipping into her face, causing tears to spring up in her stormy eyes. She had never felt more of a purpose in her life than in that moment. Her daughter was on a ticking time bomb and if she didn't get there in time, Kara's death would be her fault. Her legs ached and she could barely breathe by the time she broke through the weeds and stumbled out onto the road. She could see a bus barreling down the highway toward her.

She could feel Kara instantly. As the bus loomed closer, it began honking for her to get out of the road. Instead, she walked forward, trying to calm her ragged nerves. The squeal of the bus's breaks and smell of burning rubber filled the air. Just before it would have hit her, the bus stopped dead. The doors swung open and the driver yelled out from inside, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Faith stepped into the bus, looking down the aisle, directly at Kara. "There's a bomb. You have to get off," she said, her steady voice betraying the swell of emotions pouring through her. The crowd instantly leapt to its feet, people rushing to escape. Kara, Callum, Giles, and Faith poured off the bus, nearly the last people off. Just as they were walking away, it exploded in a brilliant flash of fire. Flaming scraps rained down on the people gathered not too far away, smoke and screaming metal filtering out everything else.

Turning back to look at the smoldering wreckage, Kara took a shaky breath. She definitely hadn't seen that coming. The First was becoming too proactive for her taste. "Why didn't you tell me who you were?" Faith asked, her voice absent any incrimination or anger. Kara turned to look at her in surprise.

"How did you?"-

"The First. It told me about you, then it told me about the bomb. I guess its plan was to reveal who you were, give me a chance to save you, only to have it ripped away," Faith explained, turning to look at the girl standing next to her. Both of their eyes were shiny with tears, rippling with emotion.

"Guess I'm lucky you're faster than it thought," Kara said, laughing to hide her halting voice. Faith smiled, then quickly pulled her into a tight hug, squeezing her warmly for all of the years they had been apart.

"I love you," Faith whispered, burying her head into Kara's shoulder. Kara couldn't help the joyous sob that tore through her at Faith's words.

"I love you too, mom," she said, her voice thick with emotion. Giles and Callum stood a respectful distance away, watching the display with a swell emotion as well. Giles took off his glasses, discreetly wiping the tears from his eyes. Callum shifted on his feet, looking down and the ground and coughing nervously to hide the overwhelming joy he felt for both of them. When Faith finally pulled away, she look over at the two men.

"You guys okay?" She asked, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands, Kara doing the same.

"Quite well," Giles responded for both of them, smiling warmly at Faith.

"Good. Let's get you home then, huh?"

......................................

"Well, I must admit, this has been quite a long day," Giles said as he, Kara, Callum, and Faith stepped through the front door of the Summers house. Though they saw Joyce's car out front, the place was practically dark, and no one came to greet them. "And I believe my favorite shirt was blown up."

Kara smirked. "Yeah, me too," she said mockingly plaintive.

"Where is everyone?" Callum asked, running a hand through his hair, still picking pieces of flaming bus out of it.

"I don't know," Faith said, closing the door behind them.

"Buffy? Dawn? Joyce?" Giles called, hearing a muffled reply through the kitchen door. "In here," he said, leading the group as he walked into the kitchen.

The three Summers women sat at the kitchen table. Dawn and Joyce seemed to be rallying around Buffy, who sat in the middle. Her eyes were puffy and red and it looked as if someone had just shot her puppy. "What's wrong?" Giles asked, immediately upon entering the room. The others filed in after him. When Buffy caught sight of Faith, her face became twisted in anger.

"Get out!" She yelled, nearly knocking her chair over as she leapt to her feet. Joyce and Dawn jumped up, each laying a hold on Buffy's arm in case she tried to pick a fight. Faith watched Buffy in a mix of confusion and pain.

"What the hell did I do?" She yelled back, immediately taking the defensive.

"After all that shit you said to me this afternoon? How dare you come back here," Buffy growled, her eyes narrowing.

"This afternoon?" Faith asked in confusion. "I didn't see you this afternoon, B. I was coming to meet you when I ran into the First," Faith explained.

"Yes, she saved us from being blown up in a bus," Giles said, smiling rather proudly over at the dark haired slayer. "Bloody good piece of work too."

"Wait, what?" Dawn asked, watching the four of them. "Buffy...," she said, turning to her sister. "Could it be possible that the First contacted you this afternoon?"

"No, Faith isn't dead," Buffy spat. "The First can only assume the likeness of dead people. It was her."

"Well, actually..." Faith said, trailing off as everyone in the room turned to look at her. "I did kinda die one time."

"What?" The all yelled in unison. Faith rolled her eyes.

"When I was seven, one of my stepfathers beat the shit out of me. My lung collapsed and I flat lined in the hospital for like two and half minutes. Technically, I was dead," Faith said, the memory casting a dark shadow across her face.

The anger melted from Buffy's face as the realization dawned on her that she had been played. "Oh damn," she said, sitting back down with a thump. "God, I'm so mentally challenged," she berated herself, banging her head on the tabletop.

Faith rushed over to her, kneeling beside her. "Hey, no you're not. Honest mistake, right?" She said, lifting Buffy's chin with her hand, so the blonde slayer was looking her in the eyes. "What did I...it...whatever say to you anyway? I mean, you were mightily pissed," Faith said, worry staining her eyes.

Buffy shook her head. "You don't wanna know," she said miserably. Grabbing Faith, she pulled her into a bear hug, clinging to her tightly. Faith squeezed her back, though the primary focus of her energies was trying to breathe through Buffy's rib crushing embrace.

"You know, Buffy, Faith does need to breathe," Joyce cut in, seeing the slightly panicked look on Faith's face and knowing the girl would never ask Buffy to let go.

"Oh, right," Buffy said quickly, letting go, but grabbing onto Faith's hand. Faith pulled up a chair next to her and sat down, knowing that Buffy wasn't going to let go of her hand anytime soon.

"We cool?" Faith asked, tucking a strand of Buffy's hair behind her ear. Buffy turned and gazed deeply into her eyes, smiling.

"Cooler than cool," she said, leaning in and kissing Faith gently, since there was a rather large amount of people in the room. "I love you," she whispered against Faith's lips as she ended the kiss.

"I love you too, B," Faith whispered back, just low enough for them to hear.

Kara cleared her throat. "Um, if you guys don't mind, I think Buffy, Faith, and I need to talk...alone," she said.

"Yes," Giles quickly cut in. "Why don't we all go out to the living room and we'll fill you in on what happened in England."

The rest of the group filtered out, leaving the trio alone in the kitchen, silence hanging over them. Finally, Kara sat down at the table across from Faith and Buffy. "What I'm about to tell you, Faith found out this afternoon," Kara said, looking at Buffy. "I never told you who I was, because if I told you too soon, it might have altered the way your relationship was supposed to progress," Kara explained.

Folding her hands on the table, she took a deep breath. "You and Faith, you're a forever kinda deal, you know? And in the future, you wanted to have kids, but given that, you're both female, that wasn't real possible. So you asked Xander to donate his sperm to help you out. Buffy, you were the one who actually got pregnant, but that doesn't really matter. The three of you raised me, and for all of my life, I knew both of you as mom," Kara said, her voice shaking slightly with nerves. "So I guess what I'm trying to say...is that I'm your daughter."


	32. Smelling Salts

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Hehe...sorry for the little cliffhanger there. What can I say? I'm evil. Anyway, muchas gracias for the feedback and, always, keep it coming.

Previously:

Folding her hands on the table, she took a deep breath. "You and Faith, you're a forever kinda deal, you know? And in the future, you wanted to have kids, but given that, you're both female, that wasn't real possible. So you asked Xander to donate his sperm to help you out. Buffy, you were the one who actually got pregnant, but that doesn't really matter. The three of you raised me, and for all of my life, I knew both of you as mom," Kara said, her voice shaking slightly with nerves. "So I guess what I'm trying to say...is that I'm your daughter."

Chapter Thirty-One:

"You know, you really shouldn't take this the wrong way. I mean, she could've just passed out from joy," Faith reasoned lamely as Giles and Joyce crowded around the unconscious Buffy lying on the kitchen floor. Kara stood beside Faith, a few feet away, both trying not to hover.

"Uh huh. I believe that for a second. She hates me," Kara said somewhat dejectedly.

"No, she doesn't. She's just surprised," Faith said, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"See, here's the difference, right here!" Kara said, referring to Faith's actions. "You hugged me when you found out...she collapsed. What does that say about the future of our relationship?"

"B doesn't take surprises very well?" Faith responded weakly. "Okay, so I get how you would be a bit upset over all this. But trust me; once she wakes up, she'll be happy about it."

Kara frowned. "I'm not sure I want to be here when she wakes up," she grumbled, folding her arms across her chest.

Faith smirked. "Don't pout," she said, imitating her best motherly tone, which wasn't all that good considering her example. Kara glared over at her.

"Are you seriously even trying to parent me? We're like the same age," she said, groaning in frustration.

"Just trying to make up for lost time," Faith responded innocently.

"Girls?" Giles asked wearily, turning to face them. "Could you perhaps stop bickering for a moment and help me carry Buffy into the living room. She'll be more comfortable on the couch when she wakes up."

"Sure thing, G-man," Faith said, stepping forward and looping an arm around Buffy as Giles did the same. Together, they walked her out to the living room.

"Kara?" Joyce said, calling after her as she started to follow them.

"Yeah?" She asked, looking back at the grandmother she had never gotten the chance to know in her world.

"Faith is right you know. I think Buffy was just a bit shocked. I mean, when Faith found out, she was put into a situation where she had to act or you would die. She wasn't given the luxury of a moment's contemplation," Joyce said, coming up to Kara and squeezing her arm. "You'll see," she said, smiling warmly. Kara could see her eyes shining from unshed tears.

"You know, I never got a chance to know you," Kara said softly. Joyce motioned for them to sit. Taking a seat at the kitchen table again, Kara sighed and ran a hand through her long, dark hair.

"What happened?" Joyce asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"You died from complications of the brain tumor," Kara responded. "Mom...well, Buffy, would always tell me stories about you though. You were her rock, you and Giles," Kara said, then smiled a little. "And Faith, she totally adored you. You and Angel, she always said, were the only two people who really got her. I didn't quite understand what that meant back then, but I do now. When Faith lost control, you and Angel were the only ones who didn't see her as some evil creature that needed to be put down, you saw her as someone who needed help."

"Faith has come a long way," Joyce said. "I'm proud to have her in my family. And I'm proud to have you in my family too, Kara. We may not have gotten a chance to know each other in your time, but we can now," she said, reaching over and taking Kara's hand in hers.

"Thanks," Kara mumbled, a bit awed by Joyce's immediate acceptance of the situation. Though, she supposed having a daughter as a vampire slayer and another as a mystical key, there wasn't much Joyce couldn't deal with and move on from.

..........................

"Ow," Buffy groaned as she sat up, her hand flying to her head. "What happened?" She asked, noting that she had somehow been moved from the kitchen to the living room.

"You fainted," Faith said, sitting down next to her.

"Really?" Buffy asked, looking over at her. "I never faint," she pouted.

"You know, it might be a good idea if you would say something to Kara," Faith said slowly. "She's a little freaked."

"Right...Kara...what do I say?" Buffy asked in panic, looking from Faith to Giles and then back again.

"Well," Giles said, clearing his throat. "You could start by explaining that you were a bit shocked by her news, but that you're overjoyed at having her as a part of your family?" Giles suggested, cleaning off his glasses.

"Are you overjoyed?" Faith asked softly, trying to figure out what her girlfriend was thinking. So far, she was failing miserably in that endeavor.

Buffy thought for a moment. Finally, she responded, "Yeah. I am. It's just a lot to get used to."

"Yeah, it is," Faith said, taking Buffy's hand in hers. "She didn't have us around very long, in her world, you know. So, just keep in mind, this is pretty weird for her too."

Buffy smiled gratefully at Faith. "I know," she said and then rose to her feet, pulling Faith with her. "Maybe we should go back in there and talk again."

"Good idea," Giles said, urging them on.

"Should we tell Xander?" Buffy asked, whirling around to face him.

"I imagine so," Giles answered after a moment's thought. "Only, that can wait. Go talk to her now."

Faith led Buffy back into the kitchen. "Look who's awake," she said, holding the door open for the blonde slayer. Joyce smiled and got up, walking out of the kitchen again.

"Okay, so the fainting thing, really not your fault," Buffy said, smiling sheepishly at Kara. "I guess I was just a little freaked. I mean, this is a strange situation and all. But, I'm glad you're my daughter, you know? You're the only one I would want," Buffy finished, looking down at her shoes, then back up at Kara.

Kara smiled. "Thanks. And you know, I don't expect you guys to do anything. I mean, I didn't tell you because I wanted something from you. You just deserve to know. Besides, the First spilled my little secret," she grumbled.

"I like knowing a whole lot better than not knowing. Besides," Buffy said, regaining her confidence in the situation, "We're a family right? The three of us. It doesn't matter if we're all practically the same age, or one of us is from the future, or whatever the circumstances may be. We're family."

"That being said, I'm not gonna have to tell Xander am I?" Kara asked, dreading having the conversation again.

"Tell Xander what?" Xander asked as he knocked on the kitchen door and opened it, walking into the room. Kara groaned and dropped her head onto the kitchen table.

"Sit down, Xand," Buffy instructed.

Several minutes later, Giles heard Faith's voice call out from the kitchen, "Giles! Smelling salts?"


	33. Backstep Conversations

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: I will be incorporating the potential slayers, most of them in name only though. I never really got a feel for them watching the show, so I don't particularly think I could write them well. Kennedy may be the only one I deal with. We'll see.

Previously:

"I like knowing a whole lot better than not knowing. Besides," Buffy said, regaining her confidence in the situation, "We're a family right? The three of us. It doesn't matter if we're all practically the same age, or one of us is from the future, or whatever the circumstances may be. We're family."

Chapter Thirty-Two:

"Okay, so now is everyone caught up?" Kara asked wearily. The entire group was gathered around the table at the Magic Box, some gaping in shock, others not quite paying attention to the news, which they had heard before.

"But...with the...Xander...wow," Willow managed to say before leaning back in her chair. Tara laughingly smiled over at her.

"There is a resemblance," Tara said, surveying the foursome sitting across from them.

"Is this a congratulations kind of moment?" Anya asked, smiling widely at Buffy, Faith, Xander, and Kara. "Because if so, congratulations!"

"Uh, thanks," Buffy said, not quite sure how to respond. Xander smiled indulgently at Anya.

"You know, I think Anya and I have some congratulation worthy news of our own," Xander said, sliding over to sit next to his fiancée.

"What's that?" Willow asked wearily, not quite sure how much more congratulatory news she could stand.

"Well," Xander said, draping his arm around Anya's shoulders. "Anya and I are engaged."

Dawn squealed before anyone could respond, rushing over and enveloping both Xander and Anya from behind in a giant bear hug. "That's so great!" She said when she finally let them go and slipped back into Spike's waiting arms.

"Yeah, congrats, whelp, Anya," Spike said, sincere despite himself.

While Xander and Anya were surrounded with hugs, well wishes, and party planning, Kara slipped over to Giles. He was going through a stack of paperwork, renting out storage space for the Council's library and artifacts. It had been a week since their trip to England and already Jack Borland had more than delivered on his promise. Giles' apartment was nearly filled to capacity with Council possessions. Former Council employees, who had quit in order to follow Jack's advice and move to Sunnydale, were starting to arrive. Giles was having a difficult time keeping people situated.

"Hey, how's it going?" Kara asked, sidling up beside him.

"Well, I've got enough storage space, I think. I'll just need help moving things this afternoon. Finding homes and apartments has been a bit more difficult. Fortunately, most of the people coming are single, or their spouses work within the Council. Few have children. It's much easier to situate them in group homes than to try to find them individual places to stay," Giles explained.

"And the money?"

"Jack's got quite a lot funneled our way. It shouldn't be a problem," Giles responded.

"The house across the street from Buffy went up for sale yesterday. Callum and I can go make a bid on it if you want. And Mr. Robson called. He said he's got some potentials he wants to bring here. Then he's going to Ireland to gather some more," Kara said. "He should be here tomorrow. I believe he said he's got three with him: Kennedy, Molly, and Annabelle."

"Alright. Check out the house. I don't care what kind of condition it's in. Give them more than they're asking, tell them you can pay in cash, and get them out before next week if possible," Giles instructed.

"Alright," Kara said, moving away to collect Callum. "Come on," she said, taking him by the arm and leading him out of the door. "We're going house hunting."

....................................

"Damn that Travers," Jack Borland said as he slung his coat over his shoulders, wrapping it tightly around himself to shield the wind. It was bitterly cold outside, dank, and rainy, as usual. Though Quentin Travers had refused to listen to him, Jack felt confident he had been able to achieve far more than Giles expected. Nearly all of the Council's library had been evacuated, a majority of the funds transferred elsewhere, the sacred artifacts and objects he could lay his hands on he took and shipped to Sunnydale, and all of his people had already gotten out of England and were heading to America. Earlier that day, the Coven had packed up its things and vanished, moving about for a little while to lose their enemies before heading to Sunnydale as well.

Jack stalked down the steps of the main Council building. There wasn't much traffic and he easily crossed the street. He slowed his pace once he got to the other side, surveying the crowd around him. Already, he could see signs of Christmas. Stores were touting new merchandise, their facilities decorated and shining even though the holiday was nearly a month and a half a way. Jack paused to buy a paper. He stepped forward to continue walking and found himself unexpectedly thrown to the ground. A flash of hot air shot over his back and for a moment he couldn't hear anything.

Then a deafening roar filled his ears and he could smell smoke. The sky began to rain bits and pieces of metal and brick. He could hear people screaming. Turning over, he looked back at the Council's complex, and gaped in shock. The entire place was burning; several of the buildings crumpled to the ground like a matchstick houses that were blown over by the wind. He could hear sirens wailing down the street.

Jumping to his feet, he tore off down the street, toward the flat he shared with his wife. It wasn't safe in England anymore. He reached his front door and jammed the key in the lock, throwing the door open. It had the wall with a thud. "Honey?" He asked, throwing the paper on the floor and closing the door behind him.

"Yeah?" Margaret called back from the kitchen. "You're home early," she said.

"I know," he responded, rushing into the kitchen. "You remember what I told you, about us having to leave England this week?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, we have to leave today," Jack said. "The Council's been destroyed. It's not safe here anymore. Pack your things, we have to go."

......................................

Faith sat on the back steps of the Summers home, her back against the wall, and a cigarette dangling loosely between her fingers. A thin curl of smoke drifted away in the air and she followed it with her eyes. The sun had set two hours before and the stars were starting to pop out, bright and beautiful. Looking up into the night sky, Faith lost herself in the vastness of everything.

"Hey," Buffy said, opening the kitchen door and slipping out onto the steps beside her. "You okay?"

"Five by five," Faith responded, taking a drag off her cigarette before stubbing it out on the stairs and flicking it away. She knew Buffy didn't particularly like it when she smoked. "You?"

"I'm good. Missing quite a party in there," Buffy said, referring to Xander and Anya's engagement party.

"Just wanted some air," Faith replied, her eyes still fixed on the stars.

"I can leave if you want," Buffy said, half standing when Faith laid a hand on her arm.

"I can get air with you here," she said, looking over at Buffy and smiling. Buffy smiled back, sitting back down, and entangling her hand with Faith's.

"You looked deep in thought," Buffy said, breaking the silence again. Faith smirked.

"I'm surprised you know what that looks like. Doesn't happen much," she responded.

"What were you thinking about?" Buffy asked, choosing to ignore her girlfriend's self-deprecating comment.

Faith sighed, torn between shrugging off Buffy's question or actually answering it. She realized in that moment that she and Buffy could never truly have a relationship if she didn't open up and let her blonde haired partner in. "Kara, this whole being a mom thing, my mom," Faith responded, instantly wishing she hadn't flicked her cigarette away.

"Wanna tell me about it?" Buffy asked, referring to Faith's childhood, which she understood to be the underlying issue behind everything Faith was thinking about, pretty much ever.

"My dad left when I was like five," Faith began, her voice taking a slightly narrative tone, as if she was telling a story rather than relating something that had actually happened to her. "After that, my mom got into drugs. We didn't have much money, so she used to trade with her dealers, you know? Like she'd give 'em a go round with me for twenty bucks of something. When I didn't wanna do it, she'd burn me with her cigarettes," Faith said, shivering slightly. It had suddenly gotten colder outside.

"She always had a bunch of guys over, called 'em all my stepfathers. Some of them were kinda violent," Faith said.

"Like the one who...well, killed you," Buffy stated, gripping her girlfriend's hand a little tighter. Faith smiled tightly over at her.

"Yeah, like him. Anyway, this one guy was a real jackass. He used to beat on her a lot. Beat her too much one day and she stopped breathing. I got put in a bunch of different foster homes after that, just bouncing around. None of them were real great either. There are a lot of twisted fuckers in this world. Anyway, my watcher came and got me out. I dropped out of school and started slaying all the time. Then she died and came here," Faith said, sighing deeply when she finished.

"Baby," Buffy said, running her hand down the side of Faith's face. Faith looked over at her, her eyes dark and clouded with reminiscence.

"Yeah?" She asked, her voice husky and low. It sent shivers down Buffy's spine.

"I'm so proud of you," Buffy said, smiling and planting a gentle kiss on Faith's lips.

"For what?" Faith asked, her breath tickling Buffy's cheek.

"You overcame all of the horrible things people put you through to become the loving, caring, albeit badass and slightly warped, woman you are today. I love you so much and I can't wait for us to grow old together and have a family and all of those things everyone thought we would never have," Buffy said, smiling as she wiped the silent tears away from Faith's eyes.

"I want all that too," Faith said, her voice breaking slightly. Leaning in, she captured Buffy's lips, tangling her tongue with the blonde slayer's as Buffy moaned into her mouth. Faith broke away after a few moments, resting her forehead on Buffy's. "I love you too, more than my heart can take sometimes."


	34. Morgue Visits

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"Well, we have to leave today," Jack said. "The Council's been destroyed. It's not safe here anymore. Pack your things, we have to go."

.........................

"I want all that too," Faith said, her voice breaking slightly. Leaning in, she captured Buffy's lips, tangling her tongue with the blonde slayer's as Buffy moaned into her mouth. Faith broke away after a few moments, resting her forehead on Buffy's. "I love you too, more than my heart can take sometimes."

Chapter Thirty-Three:

"This morning, sixteen year old Amanda Watson, a student at Sunnydale High School, was found dead in an apparent homicide. Police stated it appeared as though Watson was attacked with a hunting knife, though no suspects have been brought into custody. In other news..."

Kara clicked off the television. She, Callum, and Spike were sitting in the living room watching the evening news, preparing to leave for Buffy's house to greet the potentials, who were scheduled to arrive later that evening. "Think she was a potential?" Spike asked, sipping from his mug of warm blood.

"Possibly. I'll go check it out," Kara said, rising to her feet.

"Want me to tag along?" Callum asked, hopefully. Kara smiled at him.

"Sure. Morgues kinda creep me out anyway," Kara said. "We'll meet you at Buffy's after, okay?" She asked, turning to Spike. He nodded.

"Alright. Be careful, yeah?" He called after them as they left. Sighing, he pulled himself to his feet, draining the contents of the mug. Sauntering into the kitchen, he put the mug in the sink, and rinsed it out. When he looked up, he nearly fell over backwards. For a moment, he could see Drusilla's face in the window, smirking at him, her dark eyes beckoning him out. Then she was gone.

"What the bloody hell," he whispered to himself, peering out the window. He couldn't see anything outside. "Nice parlor tricks you got there!" He yelled, though there was no one around to hear him. "Bloody First."

...........................

"So when are you and Anya thinking of getting married?" Willow asked, her voice rising in excitement. "I can't believe it. You, Xander Harris, are engaged."

"Yeah, please stop saying that," Xander pleaded, his eyes starting to widen in panic. "The more you say it, the more nervous I get."

Willow smiled. "Relax, remember what Kara told you. Everything is gonna be fine. And despite the fact that Anya is a little...well, Anya.... you picked a great woman, Xander."

Xander laughed. "Yeah. She's the one thing I did right. Even if I never do anything right again, I'll still have her."

"See, that's the spirit," Willow said encouragingly. She and Xander were walking toward Buffy's house. Anya was closing the shop up with Giles and Tara would be meeting them once her classes were finished for the day. Silence fell between them, the comfortable silence only shared by best friends. They were only a block away from Buffy's house when they noticed someone walking quickly towards them. Though neither of them could make out the person's face, he seemed oddly familiar.

"Xander...this is gonna sound a little crazy, but is that" –

"Jesse?" Xander finished, cutting off Willow. He stopped dead, his mouth hanging open slightly in shock when he got a good look at the figure's face.

"Hey, Xan," Jesse said, stopping just few feet short of them. Looking over at Willow, his eyes lazily raked her body. Then he smiled, impressed. "Well look at you. You're all grown up. Here all those years I spent chasing after Cordelia, I should've been lookin' at you. But then, you're not much into driving stick nowadays, huh?"

"Not so much," Willow admitted, before realizing she was engaging in conversation with a dead person. "You're the First?"

Jesse smirked. "I see my reputation precedes me. Xander? You in there?" He asked, waving his hand in front of Xander's face.

"Stop using his face," Xander growled. There wasn't much he regretted in his life, but failing to save Jesse was the one thing he never forgave himself for.

"Don't like this then?" Jesse asked. "Okay, I can do better." Jesse blurred out and was replaced by the likeness of Buffy. "This better Xan?"

Both Willow and Xander stared in shock. "How can you...?"

"If you'll recall, though I may be alive and kicking now, there was a time I spent face down in a pool of water. You see, it doesn't matter how long people die for, a second, a minute, a hundred years. I can be anyone," The First said, smiling. "Keep that in mind," it warned before vanishing.

"Things are getting a bit freaky around here," Willow said. "We better tell Buffy."

.....................................

Jack Borland and his wife stepped onto the asphalt at the Sunnydale bus depot. Just ahead of them, Robson and his three potential slayers were getting their luggage. After they gathered their things, they walked over to the payphones. Jack surveyed the depot as Robson called for two cabs. He had heard so many stories of Sunnydale, the haven for demons, the home of the slayer, and the mouth of Hell. Though he had dreamed of coming here to join the fight against evil in the front line, he had never imagined he would. Now, he found himself stepping into a war zone, with no clear indication of who was winning.

"So this is the infamous Sunnydale, then?" Kennedy asked, coming up to him and surveying the depot as well. "Lots of vampires?"

"Lots of vampires," Jack conceded, smiling down at the excited, yet nervous girl. "Lots of chances to hone your skills and practice, but also lots of chances to make a mistake. Here, the mistakes cost a lot more than they do back home."

"Yeah, like here you can get dead," Kennedy said, shivering slightly. "So what's Buffy like?"

"I don't really know. I've never met her. Her watcher is a good man though. Taught her well from what I hear. We'll be heading to meet them first. Then they'll tell us where we're staying," Jack said. He had agreed to take the three potentials under his wing while Robson traveled back to Europe to gather more. Though he had just met the girls, he found they were slowly working their way into his heart.

"Cabs will be here shortly. Let's go inside, yeah? It's not safe out here," Robson said, leading the way.

.........................

"Something wicked this way comes," Callum whispered as he pushed open the doors of the morgue.

"You know, some people might think it disrespectful to make jokes in here," Kara said, smiling over at him.

"Obviously you don't," Callum responded. "So what're we looking for?"

"Amanda Watson," Kara answered. "I'll check these out, go look over there," she said, pointing to a group of bodies across the room. Fanning out, they quickly searched. Finally, Kara found the body. "Over here!" She whispered harshly, capturing Callum's attention.

"Let's see how you died," Callum said, lifting the sheet off her and putting it to the side. "That's nasty," he whimpered, looking away.

Kara smirked. "You Englishmen have such weak stomachs," she said, shaking her head. Looking over the wound, her face turned grim. "Definitely a Bringer did this. Police aren't gonna find anyone," she said, pulling the sheet back over the body.

Suddenly she heard footsteps coming down the hall. "Shit, someone's coming," she said, looking over at Callum. He looked around for a moment and saw a door in the corner of the room.

"Come on, over here," he said, pulling her along with him. The room was a tiny supply closet and they barely fit in. Closing the door behind them, they waited. The footsteps entered the morgue. About five minutes later, they left.

Kara exhaled deeply and then whispered, "Okay, let's get out of here."

Callum stepped forward and put his hand on the doorknob, turning it slightly. "Uh, Kara?" He asked, looking back at her and smiling sheepishly. "I think it's locked."

"What?" Kara asked, her eyes flying up to his face to see if he was joking. Moving forward, she tried to open the door to no avail. "Oh, this is not good," she said.

"It's okay; we'll just bang on the door until someone comes."

"What if no one comes? What if we're trapped down here and no one can find us?" Kara asked, starting to panic.

"Calm down, what's wrong?" Callum replied, amused at her outburst, although concerned that she was freaking out.

"I'm claustrophobic," Kara begrudgingly admitted. Callum was about to respond when they heard a low growl coming from outside the door.

"What the bloody hell is that?" He asked, moving back slightly.

"Vampire," Kara hissed, her slayer senses bouncing off the walls. "Must have just risen." The vampire starting banging on the door, trying to yank it open. Kara smirked, despite the gravity of the situation, as Callum backed up and positioned himself behind her. "What? You don't want a go of it?" She asked, smiling back at him sarcastically.

"Very bloody funny. I'm lover, not a fighter," Callum responded. Kara raised an eyebrow.

"Really? We'll have to test that theory if we get outta here," she said, licking her lips suggestively. Callum's heart nearly stopped in his chest.

"Bloody hell woman, go kill the damn thing already then!" He urged. The door suddenly flew off its hinges. It went flying across the room, crashing into one of the bodies on the tables.

"That wasn't very nice," Kara admonished, staring the vampire down. She sucked in a breath, noting that this wasn't an everyday, usual vampire. This was one of the uber vamps she had heard about. "Not good," she muttered as it charged into the supply closet after them.

Kara ducked as it swung wildly at her. Charging at it, she buried her shoulder into its midsection and pushed it back several feet until they slammed into a table. The force jarred her loose and she stepped back, blocking a kick. Grabbing the vampire's leg, she twisted until it turned and fell, a sickening snap following as she bent its leg a bit too far. "Sorry," she said entirely unapologetically.  
Picking the vampire up, she easily tossed it into a nearby wall. It slammed headfirst into the bricks, leaving a trail of blood as it slumped down to the floor. Dumping to contents from a flat, stainless steel tray lying next to one of the tables, she snapped her wrist forward and sent the tray flying at the vampire. It buried itself in the vampire's neck, nearly decapitating the creature, but not quite. Sauntering forward, Kara smiled down at the hissing, struggling vampire. Then she lashed her foot out, kicking the tray until it stuck into the wall, severing the vampire's head. It turned to dust with a growling poof. A smile slowly grew on Kara's face. Looking down at her hands, she was surprised at how powerful she had become, how strong.

"That was impressive," Callum said, finally venturing out of the closet, where he had watched the fight.

"Thanks," Kara said, turning to him and smiling sweetly. "Now, about what you said earlier..."


	35. The Past

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Thanks ever so much for the feedback. Keep it coming. Stroke my ego. ï

Previously:

"That was impressive," Callum said, finally venturing out of the closet, where he had watched the fight.

"Thanks," Kara said, turning to him and smiling sweetly. "Now, about what you said earlier..."

Chapter Thirty-Four:

"What the bleeding hell took you two so long?" Spike asked as soon as Kara and Callum walked through the door of the Summers residence. Both froze like deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming tractor-trailer.

"No reason in particular," Kara said, trailing off slightly and fixing her hair. Spike's eyes squinted in suspicion. Sniffing slightly, his vampire senses picked up a particularly distinct scent.

"You little slu-oompff," Spike said as Dawn clamped a hand over his mouth.

"So glad you could make it," she said sweetly, shooting Spike a death glare. Kara smiled at her gratefully.

"I wanna hear what he was gonna say," Buffy spoke up, giving Kara a pointed glare.

"Oh come on," Kara said, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Don't even tell me you're gonna lecture me on sex now?"

Faith smirked. "Well, at least now we know why they were late," she said laughing as Kara and Callum both turned beet red.

"I really don't need to be hearing this," Joyce said, rising from her seat in the living room. "Tea anyone?" She asked as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Yes, please," Giles said. "I'll help you." He quickly followed her, hearing enough of Xander and Anya's sex life, and not particularly wanting to hear about anyone else's.

"I hope you used protection, I don't want any grandkids running around just yet," Xander said, smirking as Buffy and Faith burst out laughing.

"This really isn't funny," Kara said, moving into the room and sitting on one of the sofas. Callum followed her. "Don't you have anything to say?" Kara asked, turning to him.

"Not so much," he replied, only to be rewarded with a smack in the back of the head. "What was that for?"

"You could have tried to defend my honor," Kara grumbled.

"What's the point? We all know you don't have any," Spike piped up. Callum laughed to himself, but quickly stopped upon seeing the look Kara threw him.

"Not funny at all," he said, his voice cracking slightly as he looked over at Spike.

"So, about the morgue," Buffy said, trying to bring their conversation back on track and save Kara a bit of her dignity.

"Yes, the morgue. Thank you," Kara said, rolling her eyes. "We went, we found the body, definitely attacked by a bringer."

"So she was a potential then?" Dawn asked from her place on Spike's lap.

"Must you do that?" Buffy asked in exasperation. Upon Faith's suggestion, she was trying to be more tolerant of Spike and Dawn's relationship. It wasn't easy.

"Yes," Dawn simply replied, sticking her tongue out.

"Anyway," Kara said, capturing their attention again. "The body wasn't the best part of the whole thing."

"Yeah, we were attacked by an uber vamp," Callum added.

"An uber vamp?" Faith asked, not particularly wanting to hear the answer.

"Super strong. Much tougher to kill than an ordinary vampire. And you can't stake them. Beheading only for these babies," Kara said enthusiastically.

"You get way too much enjoyment out of slaying," Xander commented, shaking his head slightly.

"Well, hello, two slayers for mothers. Kinda rubbed off," Kara replied sarcastically.

"It's not like you had too much trouble with the damn thing," Callum said, looking over at his girlfriend proudly.

"I thought you said they were really tough?" Buffy asked, looking at Kara.

"They are. The Powers that Be just kinda juiced me up a little," Kara said, not quite looking at Buffy. It was easier to lie to her mother when Buffy didn't actually know she was her mother. The blonde slayer didn't seem to catch on that Kara wasn't telling her the whole truth, however. Anya eyed her suspiciously.

"So we've got an uber slayer on our side then? That kinda evens things up," Tara said, speaking up for the first time. Willow sat next to her, holding her hand.

"Yeah. How many uber vamps are there anyway?" Willow asked, her brow creasing in worry.

Kara thought for a moment about whether to tell them that at the final battle, the mouth of hell would open to reveal millions of uber vampires just waiting to attack the earth. "Not too many," she eventually said, opting not to bring up that small point just yet. Callum looked over at her in surprise, but made no move to correct her.

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Giles appeared from the kitchen and answered it, smiling widely when he saw Robson and Borland. "Good to see you both again," he said, shaking their hands amicably. "Please come in." He opened the door wider and Robson, Borland, and the three potentials poured in.

"Nice house," Kennedy commented, looking around approvingly.

"Thank you," Joyce said, appearing from the kitchen. "You can just put your bags down anywhere. Buffy and the others are in the living room," she said, motioning to the next room.

"Ah, you must be Buffy," Jack said, walking into the room and extending his hand.

Buffy stood to greet him, briefly shaking his hand. "Yeah, it's good to meet you."

"You as well. Faith?" He asked questioningly at the dark haired slayer.

Faith smiled hesitantly and stood, shaking his hand as well. "Yeah," she replied, eyeing him a bit warily. She still didn't trust the Council, though she imagined these guys were more on their side than Quentin Travers had ever been.

"Please, sit," Giles said, motioning to the remaining empty chairs. "You just got in?"

"Yeah, we took a cab here," Robson answered. "I'll be heading back out in the morning. I hear there are some potentials in Ireland and Scotland that were left watcherless by the explosion."

"You know, Faith and I were just about to go out on patrol. Do you think they would like to come?" Buffy asked, motioning to the three anxious girls sitting across from her.

"I think that would be a good idea," Jack answered. "They've all been trained well and are quite eager to get out there and test their skills."

"Alright then," Faith said, rising to her feet. "Let's go kick some demon ass."

................................

Anya followed Kara outside as she went to get a breath of fresh air. "You lied in there," she said, closing the kitchen door behind them. Kara turned around.

"About which part?" Kara asked, watching as the ex-vengeance demon approached her.

"About what the Powers that Be did to you and how many of those uber vamp things there are," Anya said, folding her arms across her chest. It was bit chilly out.

"Sit down," Kara said, motioning to the spot next to her as she sat.

"What's going on?" Anya asked, her voice softening as she looked over at Kara. It wasn't the first time the girl was carrying the weight of the world and its future on her shoulders and this time she was practically flying blind.

"There are a lot of those vampires," Kara admitted, looking up into the star lit sky.

"How many?"

"Millions," Kara responded, looking over at Anya, who had gone pale.

"Millions? We can't defeat them," she whispered, more to herself than Kara.

"That's not true," Kara replied quietly.

"What happened in your time?" Anya asked, leaning back against the kitchen door and following Kara's eyes up into the night sky.

"There was this amulet. Angel brought it up from L.A. Spike wore it in the final battle. It killed all of the uber vamps, closed the Hellmouth, and consequently imploded Sunnydale," Kara answered. "Oh, and Willow did a spell that made all of the potential slayers all over the world actual slayers. Kinda cool really. Turned her hair white."

"Impressive. Though not a look I'd recommend to her anytime soon," Anya replied. "You know, one thing's been bothering me through all of this. You said Xander, Faith, and Buffy raised you. So where was I?"

Kara sighed, running a hand through her dark hair. "You died in the final battle," she replied lowly. "You saved this guy Andrew."

"Oh," Anya replied. "Well that sucks."

"Yeah, I imagine it did. Plus, Andrew was kind of a dork," Kara said smirking. Anya smiled a little.

"So we're just gonna wait for Angel to bring this amulet up then?"

"Not exactly," Kara said, leaning back as well. "You see, all of this is happening earlier than it did in my world. Angel doesn't have the amulet yet, and he won't get it for another year or so. The final battle will happen long before then. The Powers that Be knew that."

"So they did something to you, right? They didn't just juice you up," Anya stated, starting to understand things better.

"Yeah," Kara replied, smiling at Anya's quick understanding. "Let's just say I'm a little more connected to the past now."

"The past?"

"When the time comes," Kara said, her eyes closing briefly. "The First won't know what hit him...her...it...whatever."

Anya genuinely smiled. "So you're our ace up the sleeve then, huh?"

"Exactly. And soon enough, it'll be time to bet the farm."

.................................

"Dirty, dirty girl," Caleb said, wiping his blade clean on a handkerchief. "God does not look favorably down on those who whore out their souls, remember that," he instructed, giving the bringers standing behind him a quick glance. Sighing, he closed his eyes for a moment. "Now, I want you do to something for me. Take this body, here. Take it to the slayer. Put it somewhere she'll see it real good. I want her to know she can't go unpunished in the eyes of God."


	36. Wedding

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"I think that would be a good idea," Jack answered. "They've all been trained well and are quite eager to get out there and test their skills."

"Alright then," Faith said, rising to her feet. "Let's go kick some demon ass."

...........................

Sighing, Caleb closed his eyes for a moment. "Now, I want you do to something for me. Take this body, here. Take it to the slayer. Put it somewhere she'll see it real good. I want her to know she can't go unpunished in the eyes of God."

Chapter Thirty-Five:

Faith slept restlessly, tossing and turning the entire night. Her dreams were plagued with a rolling filmstrip of images from her past. But toward the morning, a new image crept into her mind. She could see hundreds of girls all over the world dying, lying in pools of blood, their eyes shiny and glazed over in pain. Hovering over each of them, a priest stood, with shaggy brown hair that hung down in his eyes. He was younger than any of the priests Faith ever remembered seeing and there was a devilish glint in his eyes.

"Faith, baby, wake up," Buffy said, leaning up on her elbow and stroking the side of Faith's face. All night, she had been making little whimpering noises in her sleep. Buffy wondered what her girlfriend was dreaming about. Faith stirred and finally opened her eyes.

"Hey," she said, her voice low and husky from sleep. "Morning?" She asked, squinting her eyes and looking over at the window. The sun was slanting in through the glass, its early morning rays golden yellow.

"Pretty much," Buffy said, smiling, as she leaned down and gently kissed Faith. "Bad dreams?" She asked when she pulled away.

"Something like that," Faith responded and pulled herself into a sitting position. A scream suddenly shattered the silence blanketing the house. Jumping to their feet, Buffy and Faith ran out of the room. "Where did it come from?"

"Out front," Buffy said as they ran down the stairs and out of the opened front door. Dawn stood on the porch, her book bag in hand.

"Dawn, what is it?" Faith asked, grabbing Dawn's arm. Dawn looked over at her, her face pale, and pointed to a tree in the front yard.

"What's going on?" Joyce asked, coming outside as she pulled her robe on.

"Go back in the house," Buffy instructed and quickly ushered her mom back in the house.

"Shit," Faith muttered as she gazed at the tree. A young girl was hanging from it, blood covering her shirt. "We should get her down."

"No," Dawn said quickly. "Call the police. If we touch the body, it might look bad on us. After all, she is hanging in our front yard."

Faith glanced over at Dawn, visibly impressed. "B!" She called back into the house. "Call the cops."

The police arrived a half hour later and took down the body. After a few rounds of questioning, they left. "Not every morning you find a dead girl in your front yard," Joyce commented as she poured coffee for the group gathered around the kitchen table.

"Which is fortunate," Faith said, as she sipped her coffee.

"On a lighter note," Buffy said suddenly. "Everyone ready for Xander's wedding tomorrow?"

..................

"You know, for a second there, I actually wished I was back in our time," Kara said as she and Callum stood in front of her closet, gaping at the hideous bridesmaid dresses Anya had picked for the wedding.

Callum nodded grimly. "It most definitely isn't a pretty picture and after seeing you in that, I'm not sure I'll ever want to sleep with you again."

Kara smirked and slapped him playfully on the arm as he grinned. "Your loss then," she commented.

"Have you seen the dresses yet?" Buffy asked as she wandered into the room. She, Willow, and Faith had just been discussing their horrific qualities, much like Kara and Callum.

"Lookin' right at it," Kara said, turning to regard her mother. "Can I fake an illness?"

Buffy smiled. "Only if I can too," she said as she looked over the dress again. "Maybe it'll look better in a different light."

"I doubt it," Faith said, coming up behind Buffy and wrapping an arm around her. "I can't believe I have to wear a freakin' dress," she muttered to herself, disgruntled.

"It's only for one day, baby," Buffy said, looking back at her. "Besides, I think you'll look sexy."

"No one will look sexy in those things," Kara said, smiling at her parents' playful banter.

It had been a couple of days since her and Callum's run in with the uber vamp in the morgue. Though another body had been found the morning before, it had been relatively quiet in Sunnydale. The Coven had surfaced just outside of town and offered their services in investigating the First, which they gladly accepted. Jack was busy training his potential slayers in the house across the street. The only thing that bothered Kara was the lack of communication from Robson. He had practically disappeared after leaving Sunnydale and she had a sinking suspicion that he was dead.

Callum looked down at his watch. "We better get changed, we have to be there in an hour," he said, as Buffy and Faith filed out of the room to go change into their dresses.

Kara sighed. "Let's hope Xander doesn't blow it this time, huh?"

..............................

"Avoid old men," Xander muttered to himself as he stood in front of the mirror in the church, giving himself a quick glance. The door opened behind him and Willow walked in, clad in the strange, aquamarine dress Anya had picked out. He cringed. "Looks good on ya," he said cheerfully as Willow rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I'll bet," she said. "So, you ready?" She asked, smiling widely when Xander turned around and began to fiddle nervously with his cuffs. "You look great."

"Thanks," he muttered. Heaving a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes for a moment. "Okay, let's go," he said, offering his arm to Willow and escorting her out of the room.

They walked down the hallway and out into the gathering room, where all of the guests were milling about and talking. Xander saw Kara standing by the door, keeping a careful watch for any intruders. "I'll be right back," he muttered to Willow and walked over to where Kara stood. "No crazy old men?" He asked, flashing her his patent half smile.

She shook her head and smiled back. "Nope. Looks like we're in the clear," she said jokingly. "You okay?" She asked, hoping that he wasn't suffering from the same doubts and insecurities as he had the last time.

Xander thought for a moment before suddenly pulling her into a bear hug. "I'm perfect," he whispered and smiled against her neck. "Wish me luck, huh kiddo," he said when he pulled away and playfully punched her in the arm. Then music began to fill the room and everyone walked into the church, taking their seats. Xander wandered up to the front of the room, smiling briefly at Willow, his best man. After a few moments, the wedding march began.

His breath caught in his throat when he saw Anya walking down the aisle, being led by Giles. She was a vision in white and seemed to radiate a fiery, eternal happiness that brought a huge smile to Xander's face. The ceremony began and every one sat. Dawn sighed as she watched Xander and Anya. She had to admit she once harbored a crush for the goofy man standing before the altar. Smiling, she realized she had found her soul mate in the form of a hundred some year old vampire. Reaching over, she clasped Spike's hand, who gently squeezed hers back. She looked over at him and nearly burst out laughing.

"Are you crying?" She whispered, watching the vampire frantically try to wipe away his tears.

"No," he muttered back. Looking over at her, he realized she would never believe him. "Alright, maybe I was. It's bloody romantic," he said defensively as they both chuckled and turned their attention back to the ceremony.

"I, Anya, want to marry you, Xander, because ... I love you and I'll always love you. And ... before I knew you, I was like a completely different person. Not even a person, really... ...and I had seen what love could do to people, and it was ... hurt and sadness. Alone was better. And then, suddenly there was you, and ... you knew me. You saw me, and it was this ... thing. You make me feel safe and warm. So, I get it now. I finally get love, Xander. I really do."

..........................

Kara watched as Xander and Anya's limo sped off, heading to Buffy's house for the reception. After that, the newlyweds would be off for a weeklong honeymoon in San Francisco. She smiled, happy that out of all the things she managed to change for the better, Xander and Anya's wedding was one of them. "You ready to go?" Callum asked, offering her his arm.

"Yeah," Kara said, accepting it and walking down to their ride with him. It had just started raining. She slowed her pace a bit, a strange feeling creeping up her spine, as if someone was watching her. Looking back, she surveyed the crowd, but saw no one.

"Staining the holy sacrament of matrimony with their filthy bodies and souls," Caleb muttered to himself as he watched the wedding party file out of the church from a cluster of trees. His eyes fell on a dark haired girl about nineteen. He could feel a surge of power coming off her. She was something as strong as the First. It scared him a little. He would have to find out more about her. But first, there was a girl that needed killing.


	37. Choices

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Thanks for the reviews. I just got back from euthanizing my cat, so yeah. That sucked. Oh yeah, and Anya's vows from last chapter were from the wedding episode...yet again forgot to put the disclaimer thing up. My bad. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

Previously:

"I, Anya, want to marry you, Xander, because ... I love you and I'll always love you. So, I get it now. I finally get love, Xander. I really do."

..................

"Staining the holy sacrament of matrimony with their filthy bodies and souls," Caleb muttered to himself as he watched the wedding party file out of the church from a cluster of trees. His eyes fell on a dark haired girl about nineteen. He could feel a surge of power coming off her. She was something as strong as the First. It scared him a little. He would have to find out more about her. But first, there was a girl that needed killing.

Chapter Thirty-Six:

"Very good," Jack commended as Kennedy staked her final vampire. Molly and Annabelle were a few yards away, dispatching their own. Glancing down at his watch, Jack ran his other hand through his hair and tightened his coat around his body. "Alright, time to call it a night, girls," he called out. Kennedy wandered back over to him. Annabelle and Molly each staked their vampire and began heading back as well.

"Busy night, huh?" Kennedy said as she wiped the vampire dust off her jeans. Jack smiled.

"Well, it _is_ the Hellmouth after all. I'd be disappointed if it wasn't," Jack answered. Kennedy smirked.

"Yeah? Something tells me you'll be singin' a different tune when it all goes down," Kennedy replied.

"I do believe the little girl is correct," a voice behind them said, its southern twang slightly distorting the words. Turning, Jack and Kennedy found themselves only a few feet away from a group of six harbingers of the First and a rather crazy looking priest.

"Can I help you?" Jack asked, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Annabelle and Molly. Even more bringers had cut off their path but they showed no fear, and for that, Jack was proud.

"You've got something I want," Caleb said, stepping forward and eyeing the three girls. Kennedy scowled at him. Jack straightened himself, held his head high, and smiled grimly.

"You'll have to go through me first," he said. Next to him, Kennedy tensed for battle.

Caleb smiled evilly, his lips twisting up in an arc. "I don't see a problem with that."

..........................

Buffy shoved her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket as she walked down the street. She had spent the majority of the evening at the Magic Box, training and researching with Giles, Willow, and Tara. A cold wind whipped down the street and she shivered. She was absolutely starving and couldn't wait to get home. After having only seen Faith for a few minutes that morning, Buffy felt like she was going through withdrawal. She smiled slightly and sighed. Then she stopped dead in her tracks. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end and she could hear a low growl coming from the alley to her left. Turning her head, she squinted her eyes in the dark.

She could barely make out two beady, yellow eyes. "I really don't have time for this," she muttered. Whipping a stake out of her pocket, she advanced down the alley. "Come out already," she said. The vampire stepped out into the light of a street lamp. "Oh shit," Buffy muttered when she saw the vampire. It looked like one of the uber vamps Kara had described.

"Maybe I should just go home," she whispered to herself and turned back, only to find her exit cut off by another. Gulping slightly, she steeled herself and prepared for the fight. "Alright then," she said with determination. "Bring it on."

.........................

Kara had fallen asleep on the couch in the living room while watching some old black and white movie. Spike and Dawn were out on a date at the movies and Callum was over Buffy's house for dinner. She was supposed to go with him, but the entire day she had felt as if she was moving under water. She tossed a little in her sleep as dreams began to take her. Suddenly, she found herself in a desert. Sand surrounded her on all sides and the sun was blazing down on her face, hot and harsh.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"This is your subconscious," Veronica said from behind her. Kara turned to watch the woman, one of the Powers that Be, slowly approach her.

"My subconscious is a desert?" Kara asked, looking around.

"It's a slayer thing," Veronica answered, stopping once she was a few feet from Kara. "I've called you here."

"Why?"

"It has begun. The First has sent its messenger, Caleb, to Sunnydale. Already, he's killed. Tonight, he plans to kill again," Veronica said, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"Who, where?" Kara asked, suddenly panicked.

"Jack Borland took his potentials out to Restfield cemetery. Caleb and a dozen or so bringers are there. There's not much hope for them," Veronica admitted sadly.

"Then let me go. I have to help them," Kara demanded.

"Not yet. Something else is happening tonight."

"What?" Kara asked impatiently.

"In the alley by Willey's bar, Buffy is being attacked by two 'uber vamps,' as you like to call them," Veronica stated.

"What am I supposed to do?" Kara asked, realizing that some one was going to die that night no matter what she chose to do.

"It's up to you. Good luck," Veronica said and then turned to walk away. The further she walked, the more she began to fade until she wasn't there anymore. Then Kara woke up. Bolting to her feet, she took off running out of the house and down the street. She knew in her heart that she couldn't let Buffy die.

By the time she reached the alley, she could smell blood all over the place. Most of it was Buffy's, but the uber vamps were damaged as well. Kara skidded to a halt at the entrance of the alley and watched as they beat on Buffy, who was lying still by a dumpster. The world seemed to fade away and all Kara could see was the carnage in front of her. Growling low in her throat, she stepped forward. The vamps turned to look at her, halting when they saw her eyes. Her brown eyes had turned a fierce shade of amber that glinted in the dark. Then she charged.

She fought with the fierceness of every warrior that ever went before her. When she was done, the alley was strewn with blood from the vampires and their dust covered the walls. Kara was breathing heavily, standing amidst the debris, with her hands clenched at her sides. Her eyes still burned with a golden yellow. Turning to Buffy, she reach down and gingerly picked her mother up, cradling her close to her chest. The golden haired slayer was still breathing, shallow little breaths that seemed to take all of her energy. Then she tore out of the alley.

A few minutes later, Kara arrived at the Summers residence. She shuffled the broken slayer in her arms and knocked on the door. Faith opened it, a greeting dying on her lips when she saw Buffy lying limp in Kara's arms. Looking up into Kara's face, she nearly gasped when she saw Kara's eyes blazing amber in the night. "Bring her in," Faith finally said, her voice low and grim. "Put her in the living room."

Kara walked into the house and did as she was instructed, gently lying Buffy down on the couch. She knelt next to her and tenderly tucked a strand of her bloodied hair behind her ear. Kara could hear Faith talking on the phone in the kitchen, vaguely telling Giles that Buffy was hurt. Callum and Joyce filed into the living room, Joyce turning away when she saw her daughter.

"Jesus," she muttered, putting a hand over her mouth.

"Call Willow," Kara said suddenly.

"Why?" Callum asked, putting a comforting hand on Joyce's shoulder.

"Buffy is dying," Kara said slowly. "But Willow can save her."


	38. Healing Powers

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"You'll have to go through me first," Jack said. Next to him, Kennedy tensed for battle.

Caleb smiled evilly, his lips twisting up in an arc. "I don't see a problem with that."

....................

"Call Willow," Kara said suddenly.

"Why?" Callum asked, putting a comforting hand on Joyce's shoulder.

"Buffy is dying," Kara said slowly. "But Willow can save her."

Chapter Thirty-Seven:

"Look, the sun's coming up," Kennedy said from her position under the mausoleum window. Dawn was rising on a new day and the sky was a deep shade of crimson, almost the color of blood. "You think they're gone?"

Jack turned and looked at the girl. She was covered with dried blood and bruises, her hair tousled, and her shirt torn at the sleeve. He was in no better shape. But he supposed he had no right to complain. Annabelle and Molly were dead. "I haven't heard anything in a while. Though the sunlight does them no harm, I doubt they'll want to hang around out in the open," Jack said wearily, running a shaky hand through his dirtied hair. Kennedy sighed.

Pulling herself to her feet, she used the wall for support as she limped over to the door of the mausoleum. They had managed to pull the caskets from out of the wall to block the door off with. Pressing her ear against the cool stone, she listened intently. She couldn't hear anything from outside, though that didn't mean there was no one there. "What do you think? Should we chance it?"

Jack slowly stood, holding his broken arm close to his chest. Shuffling his way over to her, he nodded. "No time like the present as they say. Besides, we can't stay in here forever."

Kennedy snorted. "Yeah, I guess if we're gonna die we might as well go out swingin' huh?" She said as they began the arduous task of dragging the heavy caskets away from the door. Jack laughed.

"Damn straight," he said, rewarded with a small, but sincere smile from Kennedy.

"Do you think anyone's looking for us?" Kennedy asked thoughtfully. Though they lived across from the street from Buffy and Faith, they didn't associate with them on a daily basis. It was almost like they were living in two different worlds. The "Scoobies," as they referred to themselves, seemed to distance themselves from anything that remotely had to do with the Council, even though the enemies they had known in it were long dead. The only people who came by on a regular basis were Kara and Callum. Though, Kennedy couldn't say Callum was much help; he clammed up whenever Jack walked into the room for some reason.

"I don't know," Jack responded after a few minutes. "I don't imagine they are."

..................................

Willow placed a trembling hand on Buffy's chest, right above her heart. From there, she could spread out and heal the rest of her friend's broken body. Drawing in a shaky breath, she closed her eyes and focused all of her energies. Tara was kneeling beside her, holding her hand, lending her all of the energy she possessed as well. Willow's hand slowly began to glow white, the light spreading out over Buffy's body. The cuts and bruises on the slayer slowly began to fade. The room collectively gasped when Willow drew her hand away to reveal Buffy, entirely healed and glowing with the aura of one in the prime of health.

"She'll wake up in a couple of minutes. Her mind has to get used to the fact that she's healed again," Willow said, her voice unsteady. Kara watched as Tara helped Willow to her feet. The witch was powerful, but obviously drained from using so much mystical energy.

"You should sit down," Giles said, helping Tara lead Willow over to a chair.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Dawn asked hesitantly from her place at her mother's side. Willow nodded and Spike laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, she'll be just fine, Dawnie," she said, smiling reassuringly at the girl. Dawn smiled back weakly.

Buffy's eyes began to flutter and Faith moved over to her, kneeling where Willow had been. "Hey," she whispered as Buffy's eyes opened completely and she looked around.

"What's going on?" Buffy asked, pulling herself up into a sitting position. "And how did I get home?"

"Kara carried you," Faith answered. "You were attacked by two uber vamps. Messed ya up real good, but Red here fixed ya up," Faith said, giving Buffy her patent lopsided grin to hide the turmoil of emotions that were flying through her.

"Thanks," Buffy said smiling over at Willow and then looking at Kara. She did a double take upon seeing Kara's glowing amber eyes. "What the hell?" She asked, inspecting them closer.

"Don't worry about it," Kara said, brushing her off and looking the other way. "It'll fade soon enough. I gotta go."

"Wait, where are you going?" Callum asked, visibly concerned over his girlfriend's behavior.

"I have things to do," Kara said, looking back at him. "There's more going on in this world than just what happens in this room, you know," she said and then walked away.

"What's up with her?" Faith asked, watching her daughter's retreating form. Willow followed her with her eyes as well.

"It reminds me of that spell," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. But Buffy and Faith heard her.

"What spell?" Buffy asked.

"The one we did to defeat Adam. You know, joining you with the essence of the first slayer. It made your eyes turn amber too," Willow said thoughtfully.

"Whatever it is, it warrants research," Giles said suddenly. "Callum, Spike, care to help?" He asked hopefully. Callum and Spike begrudgingly agreed and they were off to the Magic Box.

"You sure you're okay, Buffy?" Dawn asked, coming forward and sitting down next to her sister. Buffy pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm good," she replied, smiling at Dawn.

"I'm gonna get her home," Tara said, rising to her feet and helping Willow up.

"Okay," Buffy said, standing as well. "Thanks again. You're a lifesaver...literally."

Willow chuckled. "Yeah, see ya tomorrow...or later today, whatever."

Tara and Willow left, leaving just the Summers women and Faith. "Well, who's up for breakfast?" Joyce asked, clapping her hands together. "It'll be ready in a few minutes. Dawn, go wash your hands."

Finally, Buffy and Faith were left alone in the living room. Turning to Faith, Buffy launched herself into the other girl's arms, clinging to her tightly. Faith eagerly accepted her, wrapping her strong arms around Buffy's small frame. "You scared the shit outta me, B," Faith whispered, her voice cracking slightly. "Don't ever do that again."

Buffy laughed to hide tears streaming down her face. "I won't," she promised, clutching Faith tighter. She could feel Faith trembling slightly.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Faith admitted, burying her face in Buffy's neck.

Buffy sighed, resting her head on Faith's shoulder. "I know what you mean."

........................................

Kara took off running as soon as the door closed behind her. She could already feel that she was too late for the battle at the cemetery. In her mind's eye, she could see the bodies of the potentials strewn out over the grass, staining the ground red with their blood and their unseeing eyes burned by the sun. She had been running on adrenaline all night and whatever the Powers the Be had tapped her into. But she was starting to crash. She could feel her legs tiring from running and her eyes were heavy with sleep. Finally, she reached the cemetery and flung open the gate, charging in, and dancing between the headstones.

Some primal knowledge led her to the site of the battle. Slowing to a stop, she sighed when she saw Annabelle and Molly lying dead a few feet away. "Shit," she muttered to herself, all hope drained from her. She had thought that perhaps a few of them would survive, but now she wasn't so sure. She could see a trail of blood leading away from the primary battle site. Following it carefully, it led her up to a mausoleum. She could hear noises from inside.

"Kennedy! Jack!" She called, hoping for a response. Her hopes were fulfilled when she heard both Kennedy and Jack's weary voices calling out from inside.

"Hey! Help get us outta here!" They shouted. "We piled some caskets up against the door, but they're too heavy for us to move now." Kara nearly burst out laughing from relief.

"Okay, hold on!" She shouted back. Stepping away from the door, she reared back and kicked with all of her strength. The door splintered and cracked, the caskets pushing back a few feet. After several more kicks, she managed to create a space for the two injured warriors to crawl through. Kennedy came out first, limping a little, and holding her hand up to protect her eyes from the sun.

"I don't think I've ever been happier to see anyone in my life," she said as Kara helped her stumble out over the debris of the door. "What's with your eyes?"

"Don't ask," Kara said wearily. Then she helped Jack crawl out as well.

"Glad to see you," he muttered, brushing the dust off his clothes. "Annabelle and Molly?"

"They're dead," Kara said apologetically. Jack nodded grimly.

"We assumed as much. I just wanted to make sure. So how was your night?" He asked, rather jovially, but just happy to be alive and well.

Kara laughed mirthlessly. "Let's just go home, huh?"

"Sounds good to me. Anyone else hungry?" Kennedy asked as the trio slowly made their way out of the cemetery.

"Famished," Jack said as his stomach rumbled in response. They all laughed.

"Hospital first or food?" Kara asked.

Looking over at each other, Kennedy and Jack replied at the same time, "Food."


	39. Scythe

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Sorry for the delay, been a bit busy with school and napping as a result of school. Yeah, so here's the next chapter. As ever, thanks for the reviews and keep 'em coming!

Previously:

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Faith admitted, burying her face in Buffy's neck.

Buffy sighed, resting her head on Faith's shoulder. "I know what you mean."

...................

"I don't think I've ever been happier to see anyone in my life," she said as Kara helped her stumble out over the debris of the door. "What's with your eyes?"

"Don't ask," Kara said wearily. Then she helped Jack crawl out as well.

Chapter Thirty-Eight:

"I don't like it," Kennedy said, taking a sip from her coffee. Kara looked over at her. They were sitting at one of the outside tables at the coffee shop.

"No one likes more demons," Kara said nonchalantly. Kennedy raised an eyebrow.

"As slayers, aren't we supposed to? I mean, that's our whole job, right? The killing of the demons. The more demons there are, the more killing we get to do," Kennedy reasoned. Kara laughed.

"Well, when you say it that way," she responded. Demons had been pouring into Sunnydale ever since Caleb arrived with more of the First's harbingers. The First was rapidly gaining strength. However, more potentials had arrived, bunking in the house across the street from Buffy. The Scooby gang had all but moved into Buffy's house, with people sleeping anywhere they could. The residents of Sunnydale were starting to get anxious and the exodus had almost begun. Of course, that just meant shorter lines at the coffee shop.

"So what's the plan for tonight?" Kennedy asked, relieved that she had finally been included in the Scooby gang. Though she wasn't necessarily in the inner circle, ever since Kara saved her and Jack in the cemetery, she had insisted Kennedy come to all the meetings and training sessions. Jack was still training the other potentials and all hope had been lost for Robson. No one had heard from him for nearly a week. Xander and Anya had returned from San Francisco several days ago, ready to get back into the swing of fighting evil.

"There's a weapon called the Scythe. It's supposed to be wielded by the slayer, namely, Buffy. Though, Faith could wield it too, technically. Caleb's holding it at his compound," Kara explained.

"His compound?"

"He's holed up in an old vineyard. The weapon's stuck into this big rock," Kara said.

"Kinda like the sword in the stone, huh?" Kennedy said laughing. "Always liked that story."

Kara smiled. "Yeah, that would be it. While we're sneaking into Caleb's place, Faith is gonna go to the high school with a second group to sniff out the bringers and monitor the Hellmouth. We don't want it opening without us knowing about it," Kara said.

"Gotta be active, not passive," Kennedy stated. "I like it."

Kara nearly snorted out her coffee. "Yeah, I figured you would."

..................

"Alright guys, here's the deal," Faith said to the group surrounded her outside the high school. They were hiding across the street, monitoring the building. Thus far, only a few bringers had gone in. No one had come out. Spike, Callum, Giles, Jack, and three potentials were with her. Buffy had taken Kara, Xander, Kennedy, Willow, and two other potentials. Anya, Tara, and Dawn were waiting at the Summers house.

"We go in, check the Hellmouth out, and then leave. Do not engage the bringers unless they attack us first. Everyone clear? This is for information gathering only," Faith stressed.

"Let's get this show on the road," Spike said enthusiastically. The group stealthily crept across the street. Pausing under one of the classroom windows, Callum pulled out some tools Xander had loaned him, and began to work. After a few minutes, he popped the window out.

"Where'd you learn that?" Jack asked, ever intrigued by the young Englishman.

Callum smiled sadly. His father, Jack, had been the one to teach him all of the rather streetwise and illegal things he knew how to do. "An old friend," Callum replied, looking over at the man and smiling.

One by one, the group crawled into the window. The school was dark; the only light coming in was through the windows from the streetlamps. Signaling, Faith ordered the group to move forward. Silently, they crept through the school building. They could hear noise from below, most likely the bringers working on the Hellmouth. But they hadn't seen anyone. "Uh, guys?" Callum said suddenly. Turning around, Faith shot him a glare.

"What?" She hissed.

"Someone's following us," Callum said, motioning back. Several feet behind, standing in the shadows, was a group of bringers.

"Well, shit," Spike muttered.

......................

Buffy kicked open the door of the vineyard. Wood splintered across the room and the bringers that were stationed there turned suddenly toward the group standing just outside. "I thought we were going for subtlety?" Kennedy whispered over at Kara.

"Yeah, me too," Kara said, shrugging. "You don't really tell Buffy what to do though."

"Hey," Buffy said, walking into the room. "You must be Caleb. I've heard oh so much about you," she said cheerily. Kara almost expected her to shake his hand.

"You must be the slayer," Caleb said, walking forward as well.

"_A_ slayer," Buffy clarified. "There's actually three of us."

"That would be our cue," Kara said, grabbing Kennedy by the arm and pulling her away into the shadows. Sneaking around the wall, they finally spotted the trap door. Ripping it open, Kara and Kennedy slid down into a small room, lit by torches. In the center of the room, was the rock with the Scythe sticking out of it.

"That's really cool," Kennedy said, eyeing the weapon appreciatively. Kara stood back and gazed at it as well.

"Kinda makes ya hot," she muttered. Kennedy burst out laughing beside her.

"Well, let's get this bad boy and get the hell home," Kennedy said. She and Kara stepped forward. Reaching out, Kara ran her hand down the weapon, marveling at how cold and smooth it was. Then, with one swift motion, she ripped it out of the rock.

"I wanna test it out."

..................

"Okay, running would be a good plan right about now," Giles yelled out. They were nearly surrounded by bringers and more were coming.

"I concur," Jack said.

"Alright, everybody back out!" Faith yelled, punching a bringer in the face. He went down hard and Faith could hear his skull crack against the tile floor. She grimaced slightly, wondering what damage she had done. Then she started running with the others. They rounded a bend and burst into an empty classroom, closing the door behind them.

"Get a window out," Faith ordered to Callum as she held the door shut, pressing it back with all of her weight. Callum went to work and Spike started looking around the room.

It looked like a biology classroom, with lab tables set up and instruments strewn about the bookcases. He stopped by one of the tables. A box was sitting on it. Opening it slowly, he sucked in a breath. "Guys?" He said calmly, too calmly. Faith looked over at him.

"What is it?" She asked, as the others turned toward him.

"Bomb."


	40. Changes

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"Well, let's get this bad boy and get the hell home," Kennedy said. She and Kara stepped forward. Reaching out, Kara ran her hand down the weapon, marveling at how cold and smooth it was. Then, with one swift motion, she ripped the Scythe out of the rock.

"I wanna test it out."

.................

"What is it?" Faith asked, as the others turned toward him.

"Bomb."

Chapter Thirty-Nine:

"3," Spike said, as the room suddenly sprung into life. Faith ripped open the classroom door. The bringers on the other side ran as they realized the bomb had been found. Grabbing Jack by the collar, Faith hauled him out into the hallway. He skidded down the waxed tile floor.

"Run," she yelled back at him.

"2," Spike said, slowly backing away from the bomb. Giles led the potentials out of the room, sprinting down the hall after Jack.

"Callum," Faith said, motioning for the lanky Englishman to follow. Spike was two steps behind him.

"1," Spike called as he turned to face Faith and Callum, standing by the door. The room suddenly burst into light. Faith felt the flames lick against her face as she was thrown backwards nearly twenty feet into a wall. Her head snapped back against the wall and stars burst in front of her eyes. Then everything went black.

Spike stumbled forward, the fire slamming into his back. He could smell the leather of his duster burning and the flames pierced his back. His demon howled and he fell forward onto the ground. Turning his head, he saw Callum falling forward on his knees. The flames were nearly engulfing him. Spike could smell burning flesh. The tile floor was cool against his cheek as his eyes rolled back in his head.

...........................

Kara slashed through one of the bringers with the Scythe. The metal glinted in the torch light of the vineyard. Next to her, Kennedy was wrestling one of the bringers off another potential. Suddenly, a flash of pain shot through Kara's head. Her vision blurred momentarily and then cleared. "You okay?" Kennedy asked when she successfully knocked the bringer out.

"I don't think so," Kara murmured. She could hear voices in her head whispering about flames and death. "Something happened," she said suddenly, looking over at Kennedy.

"What?" Kennedy asked, stepping forward. Kara turned away from her and catching Buffy's eye, threw her the Scythe.

"Come on," Kara said, grabbing her hand. "We've got places to be." They took off running, leaving Buffy calling after them in confusion.

When they reached the school, they could see flames roaring out of one of the classroom windows. "Oh, shit," Kennedy said when she saw fire. "They're in there, aren't they?" She asked, looking over at Kara. The flames were reflecting in the older slayer's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Someone's dead," Kara stated. Looking over at Kennedy, she started running toward the school. Kennedy ran after her. Bursting through the front doors, they instantly started coughing from the smoke.

"We're never gonna find them in this," Kennedy said, as her eyes began to water. She could barely see in front of her.

Kara paused beside her and closed her eyes. "I know where they are," she stated simply and then started down the hallway. The closer they got to the classroom, the thicker the fire became.

"Kara! Kennedy!" Jack called out as he saw them pass by. He, Giles, and the three potentials were huddled in a corner. The fire had surrounded them and they couldn't escape.

"Get them out," Kara ordered and then disappeared further into the flames. "Faith! Callum! Spike!" She yelled, coughing into her sleeve.

"Over here!" Spike yelled. Kara ran over to him, skidding to a stop next to him.

"Are you okay?" She asked, reaching down and helping him up. His face was burned and he was covered in ashes.

"Get the slayer," Spike said, pointing to Faith, who was slumped over against the wall several feet away. "I'll get the bloke," he muttered as he leaned over Callum and quickly picked him up.

Kara ran over to Faith and took her into her arms, gently cradling the dark slayer's head against her chest. She had nearly passed out from the smoke by the time she reached the exit. Bursting out into the night air, she sucked in a deep breath. The cleansing air filled her lungs and she coughed. Kennedy was a few feet away, rubbing her hand on Jack's back in soothing circles. The man nearly coughing up his lungs.

"They okay?" Kara asked as she laid Faith down on the grass. The dark slayer was unconscious and blood covered half of her face.

"Yeah, they're good. How's she?" Kennedy asked, moving over to inspect Faith.

"I don't know," Kara replied, trying to brush the blood off her mother's face.

"A little help?" Spike said, as he clumsily laid Callum down on the grass.

"What's wrong?" Kara asked, kneeling down next to him. Spike looked up at Kara. "Spike?" She asked, noticing his eyes shining wet with tears.

"He's not breathing."


	41. The sun that sets will never rise

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Thank you to the especially keen and observant reviewer who noticed the fact that yes, Callum's father was supposed to die before he was born and therefore couldn't have taught him anything because he didn't exist. I do believe I had completely forgotten about that point. So, just strike that sentence from last chapter from your minds and let's move on.

Previously:

"What's wrong?" Kara asked, kneeling down next to Callum. Spike looked up at Kara. "Spike?" She asked, noticing his eyes shining wet with tears.

"He's not breathing."

Chapter Forty:

"Amazing grace...how sweet the sound...that saved a wretch, like me," Tara sang. Her voice carried out over the breeze, the words wrapping themselves about each person gathered there. It was melodically hypnotic. Closing her eyes, Tara let the words fade out with the sun, which had just dipped below the horizon. Her voice cracked slightly, but she remained strong. The sky was bright red and littered with puffy clouds. It was a beautiful day.

"I once was lost, but now am found....was blind, but now I see," she continued, each word rolling over her tongue like honey. They were gathered in a cemetery just outside of town, a newly built one that hadn't been used very much. Kara had picked out a spot underneath an oak tree. There they were going to bury Callum. The entire group came in a procession of limousines for his funeral, even Spike. He had remained in the car until the sun dipped below the horizon. Then he emerged and took his place next to Kara, gripping her hand tightly. She stood in front of the casket, dark, reflective sunglasses hiding her eyes. Spike could smell her tears. The sadness rolled off her in waves and they crashed into him, nearly knocking him from his feet; but he stayed strong for her.

"Twas grace that taught my heart to fear...and grace my fears relieved." He remembered that night clearly in his memory. It had been nearly a week ago. The grass had been wet with dew when he laid Callum down on it. The water made his fingers slick and he wiped them off on his dusty, tattered jeans. Leaning over his friend, he noticed he wasn't breathing. Kara tried CPR for nearly a half hour before the ambulance came. She couldn't make him breathe and neither could they. But she didn't want to give up. Finally, he and Kennedy pulled her off.

She ran, dashing into the night with tears streaming down her face. Spike looked everywhere for her, all over town, but he couldn't find her. When he arrived back home that morning, just moments before dawn, with his skin starting to sizzle from the sun, he found her lying on Callum's bed. She was fast asleep and he could see the tear tracks running down her cheeks. He laid with her all through the day, holding her while she cried in her sleep. The sobs wracked her body and thought for a moment that the sheer intensity of them would break her. But she survived.

It's what she had always done – survive. Standing with her now, Spike realized that her whole life had been surviving one death to another. She had watched everyone she ever loved die and now she was doing it again. The Powers that Be had given her a second chance at life, but they couldn't guarantee that everything would turn out sunshine and happiness. Life always had a way of sweeping the rug out just at the least expected moment.

"How precious did that grace appear...the hour I first believed." The others had healed quickly, those wounded in the bomb attack and at Caleb's compound. They lived on, rising every morning and resting every night, but Callum never would again. Spike remembered the nights he spent whiling away the dull hours of the morning over a bottle of whiskey with his mate, playing poker or watching some crappy night time television show. Those were some of the best times he had ever had in his life, and a long one that had been. It seemed so incredibly unfair to him that the Powers that Be, the gods, the goddess, or whatever deity ultimately controlled the universe, would let a creature like him linger on for all eternity, but take a man as good hearted and gentle as Callum.

"Through many dangers, toils, and snares...I have already come." The words struck Spike as particularly relevant. How many dangers had they survived? In the last year alone? It had been foolish of him to believe that everyone would survive each apocalypse unscathed and unharmed. Eventually, even in the deepest realm of his heart, he knew someone would die. He just didn't want to accept it. Looking around the cemetery at the group gathered before him, he wondered which person would leave them next, which person they would gather again to bury, to lose.

"Tis grace that hath brought me safe thus far...And grace will lead me home." Grace had been the only thing to save them thus far. So many times, they all could have died, and yet they survived. For what? Just to fight again and die? Spike wanted to rage against the Powers that Be, to rage against life, and all of the hypocrisies in it. But he couldn't. He knew Kara would rage enough for the both of them. She needed someone to be her rock now, her foundation, her calm center of the chaos that life created. He could be that for as long as she needed. It was just the two of them living in that big house now, all alone. A tear slid down his cheek as he thought that there would always be an empty chair at the dinner table now, always an empty seat in the living room, always an empty room down the hall.

"The Lord has promised good to me...His word my hope secures." The place Kara had picked was absolutely beautiful. The oak tree shaded it from the sun and little yellow flowers dotted the meadow. They almost seemed out of place, so happy and peaceful in such a sad place. It seemed to him that it should be raining out and that the world should be just as sad at the loss of Callum as everyone gathered there. Buffy and Faith clung tightly to each other, perhaps realizing again the precious line they walked. Dawn stood next to Joyce, who wrapped her arms around her youngest daughter, standing tall and strong, like a watchtower. Spike smiled to himself.

"His will my Shield and Portion be...As long as life endure." Xander and Anya stood huddled next to each other. Spike could almost see the defeat on Xander's shoulders. He had lost another friend, like Jesse, another person he had grown to count on and love. Giles and Jack stood a bit apart from the rest. Both men had come to see Callum as a sort of surrogate son, Jack not realizing how true that sentiment was. The potentials and other Council members stood farther back, not wanting to intrude on what was a rather private, intimate moment for the group, but feeling that they should be there nonetheless.

"Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail...and mortal life shall cease," Tara sang as she stood next to Willow, gripping the red haired witch's hand in her own. Spike turned to look at Kennedy, who stood on the other side of Kara, holding her other hand just as tightly as he did. Kennedy had been there for the grief stricken girl every step of the way. When Kara lay in bed, crying herself to sleep, Kennedy would sit next to her and stroke her hair, or tell her stories. After the funeral, he was going to ask her to move in with them. He thought it would be good for Kara to have another person around, someone she cared about and trusted. They could spruce up the basement for her.

"I shall possess, within the veil....a life of joy and peace." The casket slowly began to sink into the ground. With each word of the song, it sunk lower and lower, until it had disappeared from sight. Kara bit her lip, holding back the tears. She could feel them building up within her, crawling and howling to escape. She turned her head and rested it on Spike's shoulder, letting a few tears trickle out onto his duster. Spike wrapped his arm around her, resting his head on the top of hers.

"The earth shall soon dissolve like snow...the sun forbear to shine." His heart broke for her. He couldn't imagine what he would do if he ever lost Dawn. The fact that he had lost his soul mate in her world nearly killed him. He vowed to himself that he would always protect her, no matter what. He wouldn't lose her again. He wouldn't lose anyone. From now on, he would be there for everyone, watching over them and guarding them like an angel in the dark.

"But God, who call me here below...shall be forever mine." Spike hoped that wherever Callum was, he was happy. He didn't know if he believed in Heaven, but if it existed, he knew his mate was there, watching them all and laughing at how silly they were being by crying for him. He would be sitting up in the clouds with a bottle of whisking and throwing raindrops down on them.

"When we've been there ten thousand years...Bright, shining as the sun." Spike watched as each person stepped forward and reached down, clasping a handful of dirt in between their fingers before throwing it down onto the casket below. Then it was his turn. Stepping forward, he gingerly reached down, mindful of his injuries, and scooped a handful of dirt up. He fingered it for a moment, remembering everything Callum had been to him, and then slowly let the dirt slide through his fingers. He watched it disappear into the dark of the grave until all of the dirt had escaped. Then he turned and took his place again. The sun was gone and the sky was turning dark blue, the orange and red of sunset slowly disappearing into naught.

"We've no less days to sing God's praise...Than when we'd first begun." They stayed as the rest of the dirt was shoveled onto the grave, until the ground was perfect again. It was like nothing had ever disturbed it to begin with. The group began to wander away, heading back to the limousines for a wake at Buffy's house. Kara hadn't decided if she wanted to attend. Spike didn't think she would. He couldn't see her being with all of those people, instead, he imagined he and Kennedy would take her home and sit with her in her darkened room until she fell asleep. Then he would do the same. They too walked away, back to the real world. Looking over his shoulder, he heaved a heavy sigh and knew that Callum was gone.

Note: The lyrics from Amazing Grace were written by John Newton, and therefore, obviously, are not mine. I am simply borrowing them.


	42. Brand New Day

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: The story of the Shvetaketu is from the Chandogya Upanishad, and therefore, is not mine. Also, a basic definition of Brahman to help you understand the story is that Brahman is the divine reality at the heart of all things. Just borrowing. Thanks for the reviews and keep 'em coming.

Previously:

Spike imagined he and Kennedy would take her home and sit with her in her darkened room until she fell asleep. Then he would do the same. They too walked away, back to the real world. Looking over his shoulder, he heaved a heavy sigh and knew that Callum was gone.

Chapter Forty-One:

"Where do we go from here?" Kara asked, looking over at the figurative right arm of the Powers that Be. Veronica sat next to her on the beach, her feet resting in the water. The sun was shining down on them, a comforting gaze that lingered on their faces. The water was warm and Kara could smell salt in the air. The beach was deserted for miles and the sound of her voice seemed to carry out over the waves, echoing forever in the vast expanse of the sea.

"Everything seems cloaked in shadow to you, yes?" Veronica responded, closing her eyes and leaning her head back. "You want to know why we let Callum die?"

"Yeah," Kara said, staring out over the waves. It was peaceful somehow, the constant lull of the water, always coming, always going. For all eternity, the waves would follow the same pattern while the rest of the world tipped on its axis and fell into oblivion. Kara remembered, long after the age of man had ended and the world of the demons began, looking out over the water. It was the same then as it was now.

"To be perfectly honest with you, we had nothing to do with it. You see, God, the Powers that Be, whatever it is you believe in, ultimately doesn't exist," Veronica said, smiling as Kara looked over at her in confusion.

"But you do exist, I'm sitting right next to you," Kara said, somehow knowing it was fruitless to try to outsmart a god.

"Yes, you are. But are you sitting next to me because I'm really here, or because you want to believe I'm here? I exist so long as you want me to exist. If I piss you off, or life makes you see things differently, than I no longer exist to you. Then I don't exist to your world, your reality, and thereby, to the rest of the world as you see it," Veronica explained. "I only control the outcome of actions so long as you want me to, so long as you believe I can. You believe that because I didn't do anything to prevent it, Callum died. As long as you believe that, I'll never be able to convince you otherwise."

"So then Callum was supposed to die?" Kara asked, looking back out over the water. She frowned for a moment, as the sun pierced her eyes. "It was noon a minute ago," she muttered to herself as the sun began to sink below the horizon. The sky lit up in a fiery red that spread out over the sea. The water sparkled and she could faintly hear it laughing.

Veronica smiled. "Everything happens in its own time and place. Callum's soul has been here a very long time. Just because he passed from one stage to the next doesn't mean that he's gone. He's still here. The souls of the dead, they're very much like the salt in the water. Do you mind if I tell you a little story?" Veronica suddenly asked, smiling widely. Kara laughed and nodded.

"Very well. There was a young man named Shvetaketu, who left his father's house to study the priestly lore of chants and rituals. When the young man retuned home, his father questioned him on all he had learned. Shvetaketu proudly related to his father all he knew, but then his father asked him what he knew about Brahman. However, in all of his studying, the young man had learned nothing of Brahman."

"To demonstrate his point, his father asked Shvetaketu to fill a glass with water and to put salt in it. They left the water as it was overnight. The next day, his father asked the young man to find the salt in the water. Shvetaketu looked into the water, but couldn't find the salt because it had dissolved. His father then asked him to taste the water from the side. Shvetaketu tasted the water and found that it was salty. Then his fathered asked him to taste the water from the middle and, there too, the water was salty. Likewise, his father asked him to taste the water from the other side. Shvetaketu replied that in this place too, the water tasted salty."

"Then his father asked him to look for the salt again. Shvetaketu could not find the salt, he could only see the water. His father smiled and said that, just as he could not see the salt in the water, you cannot see the spirit behind all things, but it is there all the same, in everything," Veronica said as the sun faded into darkness. The moon rose over the water and lit the blackened waves until they reflected like glass. The stars popped out and Kara looked up at them, tracing the constellations in her mind.

"You see, Callum is like the salt. So are all of the spirits of the dead. They're never gone because they're in everything. We just can't see them," Veronica finished.

Kara smiled slightly. It was comforting to think that Callum would always be lingering around, watching over her and the others, like the souls of everyone else they had lost. "I don't dream about it anymore," Kara said suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Dream about what?" Veronica asked, stretching her long legs out in front of her. The water curled around her feet, embracing them.

"The future. My past. Whatever you want to call it. I used to dream about it all the time. But I don't anymore. Why is that?" Kara asked, looking over at the god sitting next to her.

"It doesn't exist anymore," Veronica answered. "You've changed everything. Even if Sunnydale falls like it did in your world, things are so different now, your future won't happen."

"So what future will?" Kara asked, genuinely smiling for the first time since Callum died.

Veronica smiled and looked over at her, chuckling a bit. "Honestly? I don't know," she responded and closed her eyes again, sighing deeply. "These are the times we live to see. Mankind is taking hold of its own destiny. It's a new world."

Kara breathed deeply, letting the salt air fill her lungs. She could taste it in her mouth. Exhaling, she felt a singular peace that she had never felt before. "We've got one more fight, one more battle. The biggest one we've ever faced. More people are going to die aren't they?"

"There's no stopping that," Veronica responded. "Not even I can stop the flow of life in this place. But I wouldn't worry about it too much. You've got the past looking over your shoulder," Veronica said, her voice laughing. Then she winked at Kara. "It's time for you to wake up."

Kara's eyes flew open, blurry and unfocused on her bedroom ceiling. She blinked several times, until her vision cleared, and then sat up in bed. Dawn was just breaking over the horizon in orange and yellow. The newborn sun seemed to be yawning, just waking up from a century of sleep. Looking over, Kara smiled when she saw Spike crumpled up on a chair next to her bed, sleeping in a way that looked painfully uncomfortable. "Hey," she said, pushing his knee slightly.

Spike jerked awake, looking around the room quickly. Once he sensed that there was no danger, he relaxed and looked over at Kara. "Morning," he said, trying to gauge her mood. She smiled at him and, if his heart had been beating, it would have stopped in his chest.

"You feel like going over to Buffy's for breakfast?" Kara asked hopefully. Spike laughed, the sound seeming so foreign to both of them.

"Yeah, that'd be about the greatest thing in the world," he said as Kara leapt to her feet to get ready. Spike stood up and caught her by the elbow, looking deeply into her eyes as he spoke. "So things are back to normal then?" He asked, relief spreading through every muscle and tissue in his body when he saw the sparkle returning to her eyes.

"Yeah, everything's back to normal now."


	43. Questions

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"So things are back to normal then?" Spike asked, relief spreading through every muscle and tissue in his body when he saw the sparkle returning to her eyes.

"Yeah, everything's back to normal now."

Chapter Forty-Two:

Kara walked down the street with the sun shining on her face. She had spent nearly two weeks after Callum's death holed up in her room raging against everything in the world. But finally, she had found peace. "We're almost there," she called over to Spike, who was ducking between trees with a burlap bag over his head to keep from bursting into flames.

She was still upset over his death, still missed him with every fiber of her being, but she knew with time the pain would lessen. Eventually, Callum would become a happy memory she could look back to and smile about. "So you seem pretty happy," Kennedy commented, walking next to her.

"Yeah, I just needed some time, you know. Time spent, I'm ready to get on with life now," Kara said, looking over at her friend and smiling. She and Kennedy had built a bond over the passed few weeks that was stronger than any she had with the others.

"Bloody hell! Are we takin' the long way around or something?" Spike growled angrily from his place hiding underneath the branches of a tree. Kara and Kennedy burst out laughing.

"We were wondering how long it would take you to notice. This is like the second time we've walked around this block," Kennedy said. Spike straightened up and stared into her direction, the bag on his head slightly impeding his vision.

"I'm gonna kick your ass from here to the bloody Great Wall of China," he yelled and darted out from under the tree, chasing after them. Squealing in mock fright, the two girls took off running down the street. Kara slowed herself to match Kennedy's pace, which was far faster than Spike's, who was weaving slightly in his impaired state.

When they finally reached the Summers' residence, they burst in through the kitchen door, Spike hot on their heels and smoking slightly. "What did you guys do to him?" Dawn asked, walking over to her pouting boyfriend and giving him a quick kiss.

"Us?" Kara asked innocently. "We didn't do anything."

"So what's for breakfast?" Kennedy said, changing the topic. Joyce rolled her eyes.

"Waffles and bacon. Take a number," she joked dryly.

Kara smiled, glancing around the room at the faces of the people she loved. Her eyes settled on Dawn. "Hey, did you want to train with us later?" She asked. Dawn's face lit up in a brilliant smile and she squeaked. Spike winced slightly.

"Since when have you spoke canine, pet?" He asked, not quite sure how the human voice could reach the octave his girlfriend's had.

Dawn glared over at him. "I'd love to," she said, regaining her normal tone.

...........................

Faith rolled over, groaning in protest as Buffy grabbed her arm and tried to drag her out of bed. "You're the one that has class, not me," Faith argued. "I should be able to sleep in."

"I don't think so," Buffy said, smiling sweetly as Faith shot her a death glare and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Sitting back down on the bed, Buffy leaned in and kissed her, running a hand through her long, dark hair. "You should take some classes," Buffy said when their kiss broke.

"Didn't graduate from high school, remember?" Faith responded, throwing the covers off her legs and wandering over to the dresser.

"Still, you could get your GED or something," Buffy suggested, shrugging. Something in the blonde slayer's voice made Faith pause. She almost sounded nervous.

"What's up?" Faith said, turning around and leaning against the dresser.

"What do you mean?"

"We've never talked about this before. It's not like we've got a whole lot of career choices, remember? Besides, the new Council is paying us," Faith reasoned, quite happy that Jack had reinstated their salaries.

"I know. I've just been thinking about the future a lot lately," Buffy said, walking over to Faith. Faith eyed her suspiciously; something was going on.

"And?" Faith prodded, desperate to know what was lurking around in her girlfriend's mind.

"Okay, I've been trying to find a good time to do this, but nothing ever seems right. So I'm just gonna do it," Buffy rambled as she reached into her back pocket and pulled something out. Faith couldn't quite see what the object was. "So here it goes," Buffy said, taking a deep breath and dropping onto her knee in front of Faith. "I love you so much, more than I've ever loved anybody in my whole life. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you because you make me so happy. Faith, will you marry me?"

Faith's eyes nearly bugged out of her head when she realized what Buffy was doing and she couldn't quite control the volume of her voice when she said, "Holy shit!"

.................................

"What was that?" Kara asked, looking up from her breakfast plate. They were gathered around the dining room table, enjoying a rather quiet and peaceful breakfast when Faith's voice rang out through the house in a sudden obscenity. "Does that happen often?"

"Didn't sound good," Spike said. "Maybe we should check on them."

"Good idea," Dawn said as she, Spike, and Kara leapt to their feet and dashed up the stairs.

They paused outside of Buffy's closed door. "Should we knock?" Kara asked, turning back to her friends.

"It would be the polite thing to do," Dawn reasoned.

"Yeah, but since when are we polite people?" Spike argued. Kara and Dawn thought for a moment.

"Good point," Kara said as she, Spike, and Dawn reached for the doorknob at the same time. Pushing the door open, they all stumbled inside the room, pausing in shock when they saw Buffy kneeling in front of Faith with a ring in her hand.

The three quickly looked at each other before stating, in unison, "Holy shit."

..........................

Caleb paced back and forth in front of the First. It had taken on the form of the slayer, Buffy, mostly, for what he believed, to mock him for his recent loss at the blonde girl's hands. They had taken the Scythe before Caleb had been given ample opportunity to study it. However, his harbingers had succeeded in killing one of the slayer's friends. That blow, he was sure, they would not recover from quickly.

"Stop pacing, already," the First said angrily. "Yeah, you messed up. Not the first time it'll happen, not the last. It doesn't matter anyway."

"Why not? She made a fool of me," Caleb said, turning back to glare at the First. It always made him a bit uneasy.

"Our army is amassing. Soon enough, there won't be anything left of this world."


	44. News

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"So here it goes," Buffy said, taking a deep breath and dropping onto her knee in front of Faith. "I love you so much, more than I've ever loved anybody in my whole life. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you because you make me so happy. Faith, will you marry me?"

...................

"Good point," Kara said as she, Spike, and Dawn reached for the doorknob at the same time. Pushing the door open, they all stumbled inside the room, pausing in shock when they saw Buffy kneeling in front of Faith with a ring in her hand.

The three quickly looked at each other before stating, in unison, "Holy shit."

Chapter Forty-Three:

Pushing Dawn and Spike out of the room, Kara quickly slammed the door shut. "We seriously need to learn to knock," she muttered. Then she dragged the slightly shell shocked and generally amused couple down the hallway.

Once the trio had disappeared, Faith looked back down at Buffy, chuckling to herself. "Our daughter has great timing doesn't she?" She said sarcastically before dropping to her knees as well. "Figured you might be getting lonely down here," she joked as she reached over and plucked the ring out of Buffy's hand. "It's beautiful," she whispered appreciatively. The ring was a sparkling shade of silver that seemed to catch the light and twinkle. In the center, two brilliant blue stones were set.

"Well, so are you," Buffy whispered back, cupping Faith's cheek. Then she laughed. "That was a bit cheesy, wasn't it?" She asked as Faith smiled.

"Yeah...and yeah," Faith said, looking Buffy in the eye, her own eyes shining wet with tears of joy. She had never imagined she would ever find someone to love, nonetheless, someone who would want to spend of the rest of their lives together. Yet, she had.

"Yeah?"

"There's nothing I would ever want more," she said, pulling Buffy into a fierce embrace. Both girls were sniffling and wiping tears away when they pulled apart. Taking the ring, Buffy gently slipped it onto Faith's finger. It fit perfectly.

"I have one too," she said, pulling her own out of her pocket. Faith took it and slipped it onto Buffy's finger, smiling.

"Looks good on ya, B," Faith said, winking. Her eyes caught a devilish light and a mischievous smile tugged at her lips. Running a hand through Buffy's hair, she brushed it away from her ear, leaning in. Her lips stopped a fraction of an inch from Buffy's neck and she whispered into the blonde slayer's ear, her breath tickling Buffy's skin and making her shiver. "And I gotta tell ya, I'd love to see how it looks on ya with nothing else."

......................

"So what was going on?" Kennedy asked as Spike, Dawn, and Kara filed back into the dining room. All three were far more quiet than usual and appeared as if they were going to jump out of their own skins with excitement. Both Joyce and Kennedy glanced over at each other, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Nothing much," Kara said, as they slipped back into their places at the table. Picking up her fork, she shoved a piece of waffle into her mouth to stop herself from blurting out Faith and Buffy's news.

"Nothing much? She yelled pretty loud," Kennedy argued.

"Had to have been something," Joyce added, leaning forward, with her elbows on the table. She eyed Spike, who she knew would crack under any kind of scrutiny. She almost felt bad for the vampire; he seemed to be twitching in his seat, not quite able to sit still. Dawn wasn't fairing much better.

"Spider," Spike suddenly blurted out. Kara glared over at him. Kennedy just laughed.

"A spider? You're telling me Faith yelled like that over a spider? She's a slayer," Kennedy replied.

"Faith is...arachnophobia," Kara said slowly. "She doesn't like for people to know. You know, bad for the rep and all that."

"Yeah," Dawn chimed in. "There was this huge, brown spider in the kitchen the other day. You should have seen her. I thought she was gonna have a coronary."

Joyce and Kennedy sat back in their chairs simultaneously, each crossing their arms. "We don't believe you," Kennedy stated.

Faith and Buffy picked that moment to come down the stairs. "Don't believe what?" Buffy asked, eyeing the breakfast-laden table. "Ooh, waffles."

"That Faith is afraid of spiders," Spike said, staring Faith straight in the eye as he spoke. "You know, how terrified of them you are and all that."

"What?" Faith asked in confusion.

"See, she's trying to deny it," Dawn jumped in.

"I'm not afraid of spiders," Faith said, sitting down at the table.

"It's okay. It's nothing to be ashamed of," Kara said. "I mean, we're all afraid of something."

"Yeah, but I'm not afraid of spiders," Faith reiterated, now thoroughly confused. It suddenly dawned on Buffy what was going on.

"Okay, everybody shut up," Buffy said, taking a seat next to Faith. The room fell silent. "Faith and I have some news. Firstly, Faith and I killed a giant spider demon the other day, so I can pretty much say beyond a shadow of a doubt that Faith is not arachnophobia," Buffy started.

"Wow, that was a big word, Buffy," Dawn teased, not able to restrain herself from a little sister bashing. Buffy simply glared over at her and continued.

"And secondly," she said, looking at Faith and smiling, "Faith and I just got engaged."

.................................

"It's so evil it's absolutely delicious," the First said, under the guise of the fallen goddess Glory. She and Caleb were walking along a ledge on the Hellmouth. Below them, thousands of demons were festering, waiting to be let loose upon the world. "It's almost time."

"The earth shall tremble and quake. The sins of this world shall be purged clean and evil shall rise unto a dawn of chaos," Caleb spoke as he looked out over his army.

"Yeah, something like that," Glory said, laughing. "But more importantly, the slayers won't have a clue what hit them."


	45. Howls in the Dark

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"And secondly," Buffy said, looking at Faith and smiling, "Faith and I just got engaged."

....................

"The earth shall tremble and quake. The sins of this world shall be purged clean and evil shall rise unto a dawn of chaos," Caleb spoke as he looked out over his army.

"Yeah, something like that," Glory said, laughing. "But more importantly, the slayers won't have a clue what hit them."

Chapter Forty-Four:

The sun descended over Sunnydale, huge and orange as it crossed the horizon. Blood red light spilled out over the ground and then the light was gone. Night had taken hold of the earth. Sunnydale was held in a pleasant calm, a peaceful silence. Then the howling began. At first, people thought it was coyotes. But then, the howling grew worse, more terrifying, more intense. It drew closer and closer until they could hear it just outside of their doors. The town blackened as people shut themselves inside and turned off all of the lights. Noises echoed in the dark: scrambling, clawing, and biting. Huddled together in basements and back rooms, they waited for the sun to rise and waited for the monsters to vanish with the dawn.

...........................

_One Hour Earlier:_

"Would you hurry up already, we're gonna be late," Spike growled, his voice ringing up the stairs. "Bloody women," he muttered to himself as he began pacing back and forth in front of their front door. He, Kennedy, and Kara were supposed to meet the Scooby Gang at Buffy's house for a meeting and dinner in an hour. However, Kara wanted to sweep the cemeteries first and Spike just knew they were going to be late. He smiled though, knowing Dawn would give him a hard time when they arrived. She always looked cute when she was angry with him.

"Get a grip," Kennedy said as she came down the stairs, loading her jacket up with stakes. "We'll get there on time."

"Oh, like always?" Spike said sarcastically. It always seemed that they were late to every Scooby function. Though the Scoobies generally blamed Spike because of his preoccupation with grooming, he had met his match in vanity between Kennedy and Kara. He supposed he shouldn't blame Kara too much; after all, the girl had lived in a future world without shampoo for the majority of her life.

"Don't even try to tell me you don't love it when Dawn gets upset with you and does that strange pouting thing," Kara said, futilely attempting to imitate her aunt. Spike chuckled.

"It's all I live for, pet," he said. "Shall we go?"

"Aw, not getting' any, Spike?" Kennedy mocked as she scurried out of the front door as Spike reached out to grab her. He growled at her and briefly vamped out before regaining his human face and sighing.

"Can you say jailbait, Ken?" Spike called after her in exasperation.

"I don't think she knows words that big," Kara whispered conspiratorially.

After finally leaving the house, they began a quick sweep of the nearest cemeteries. The sun had just set in a flash of blood red and they were hoping to catch the early birds. However, after sweeping two cemeteries and coming up empty handed, none of them felt much like continuing. "Pack it in and head to the slayer's?" Spike asked, twiddling a stake in between his fingers. The night was cool, a light breeze drifting through the trees. It was pleasantly quiet. He could hear the hum of bugs in the grass and it reminded him of summer.

"Might as well. It's totally dead tonight," Kara sighed, sticking her stake back up in her sleeve. The trio turned to leave when a piercing howl suddenly rang out. It chilled them to the bone. The sound held for several long seconds, a plaintiff wail that turned into a bloodthirsty growl.

"What the hell was that?" Kennedy asked, turning to look at Spike and Kara. Spike shrugged nonchalantly. Kennedy paused, studying Kara's face. She had suddenly gone pale. "What is it?"

Spike looked over at Kara, instantly worried. "Kara?"

"Oh shit," Kara whispered, slowly turning around. The howl rang out again and Kara flinched. It was a chorus of death and pain. The final refrain of the end of the world.

"What is it, pet?" Spike asked, laying his hand on her shoulder.

"I know that sound," Kara said slowly, fear steadily taking control of her mind.

"From where?" Kennedy asked, stepping forward and flanking her other side.

"Not from where. From when," Kara said, her eyes fixed, staring at some unknown point in the distance. Spike tried to make out what she was seeing, but there was nothing there.

"From when then?" He asked, slightly exasperated. Kara never shut down; the fact that she had worried him, but they needed to know what they were facing.

"The night the world ended."

.................................

"They're gonna be late again," Dawn whined as she set the table. They had managed to cram enough chairs around it to accommodate everyone, including Spike. Though he didn't have to eat, he seemed to enjoy Joyce's cooking. Either that or he simply ate out of courtesy. Joyce hadn't quite figured out which.

"Yes, but this we have come to expect," Xander said, carrying salad bowls out of the kitchen. Anya trailed behind him with silver wear.

"Technically, time doesn't really exist. It being a human invention and all," Anya added. "So, they can't really be late."

Dawn sighed. "Well, aren't you just a font of useless knowledge?"

"I wouldn't call my expertise in manipulating the stock market particularly useless," she grumbled. "Not when the money starts pouring in." Her face took on a dreamy expression and Xander sighed.

"We've lost her," he said, smiling over at his wife. He couldn't believe that he was a married man. It felt wonderful. Everyday, he thanked Kara for talking some sense into him and stopping him from doing something incredibly stupid. He had already decided to buy her something largely expensive for Christmas, which was rapidly approaching. He wanted to do something special for her. From what he had gathered, she had never had a real Christmas that she could remember. Everyone started dying around her when she was still young and by the time she turned eighteen, the world had ended. This year, he wanted to give her the Christmas his daughter deserved, and so did Anya.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a howl that rang out through the night. Everyone froze in the dining room. The howl lingered on for several long seconds before fading into a growl. Then silence. "Uh, guys? What was that?" Dawn asked.

"Coyote?" Xander said, looking down at Anya. She looked pale. "Anya?"

"That wasn't a coyote," Anya said. Another howl rang out, bringing the rest of the Scooby gang into the dining room.

"What the hell is that?" Faith asked, her ears hurting from the noise. She could tell Buffy was in pain as well. Their slayer hearing picked up the sound at a much deeper level than the others and it pierced right through their skulls.

"I don't know," Buffy said, grabbing her fiancée's hand and holding it tightly. She didn't know why, but she was suddenly very afraid.

"What is it?" Dawn asked again, directing her question to Anya.

"There is only one kind of demon that makes a noise like that," Anya said slowly.

"What kind is that?" Giles asked, genuinely intrigued.

"The kind that comes straight from Hell."

.............................

"Oh."

"My."

"God," Spike, Kara, and Kennedy said nearly in unison. Before them appeared a massive army of demons. They were nearly nine feet tall with scraggly black hair that hung down over their faces, which were caked with blood and dirt. Their skin was a shimmering, translucent shade of black and Kara could see the tissues and muscles quivering underneath. The demons growled, their chapped, cracked lips pulling back to reveal chipped, razor sharp fangs.

"Run," Kara said suddenly. Turning, they took of running. The demons looked at each other for a moment before crying out in a harsh, hideous battle call. Then they charged after them.

"Where the hell are we going?" Spike yelled as they ran, the demons slowly catching up to them.

"Just run," Kara yelled back, looking over her shoulder. She remembered the first moment she saw a demon like the ones chasing them. She had been with Dawn and Spike, living in an old apartment in Chicago. They had been sitting around a fire, just having eaten dinner, when a horrific howl broke out over the night. They got up and looked out the window just in time to see a horde of demons flooding the streets. That was the night the world of man ended and the world of demons began anew.

With their legs pounding into the street, they turned at Buffy's road. "We're almost there," Kennedy said, keeping an eye on the demon army behind them. "I think they're losing ground."

"No, they're just not interested," Kara said. "We're three pitiful, little humans. We're not worth the time. They'll want something more."

"So we'll get Buffy and the others and fight them," Spike said. Slipping into Buffy's back yard, Kara stopped running and sharply turned around to face him.

"No, we won't," she said vehemently.

"What are you talking about? They're demons. You're a slayer. It's your job," Spike argued angrily.

"We don't fight these demons," Kara stated.

"Why not?" Kennedy asked, not liking the idea of ducking out on a fight, but not particularly wanting to face an army.

"We don't fight these demons. Not yet. We'll lose. And then who'll fight the First?" Kara said reasonably. Spike sighed.

"I don't like it," he muttered.

"I never said you had to," Kara replied before turning and running up to Buffy's kitchen door. All of the lights were off inside the house.

"I thought they were supposed to be here," Kennedy remarked.

"They are," Spike said, sniffing the air. "They're hiding in the basement. I can smell them. They're afraid."

"They should be," Kara said, trying to pull the door open. It was locked. She tried to kick it open, but found it blocked. "Shit. They must have dragged something in front of it."

"Basement window," Kennedy said suddenly, running over to the window just peaking out above the grass. Leaning down, she banged on it.

"Could you do that a little less obnoxiously loud, please?" Spike growled. "Alert the entire demon community where we are."

A flashlight beam hit the window and Buffy's face appeared. Prying the window open, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Hey guys, get in here," she said. Grabbing Kennedy's hand, she helped the potential slayer slink in through the opening. When Kennedy's feet hit the floor of the basement, Spike started climbing in.

"I got you," Spike said, turning around and grabbing Kara's hand. Kara started to climb through the window when she suddenly stopped. All of the hairs on her neck were standing on end and the yard had gotten eerily quiet. Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, she slowly turned and pried them open. One of the demons was standing not four feet behind her. Slobber was running down its chin and it growled low in its throat. "What are you doing? Come on," Spike said, unaware of the demon standing outside.

"Really not an option right now," Kara whispered, glancing down at Spike. He could see the fear in her eyes and suddenly he understood. He let go of her hand and tried to hoist himself up. Looking down at the crate he was standing on, he set his feet. Then he glanced back up.

"Kara, can you...," he said, but stopped. She had disappeared.

...............................

Kara landed with a hard thump against a tree. "Ow," she muttered to herself. While Spike was adjusting his feet, the demon had sprung forward with far more speed than she remembered they possessed and flung her across the yard. Then it vanished into the shadows. She could hear it growling. The sound was growing steadily louder as it approached, but she couldn't see it. The house wasn't too far away. She urged her body to move forward, but her legs wouldn't take the first steps. She seemed to be rooted in place, frozen with fear. Closing her eyes, she began counting to ten. The growling grew closer.

The demon howled, the sound piercing through her ears and she cried out, dropping to her knees. She was nearly panting and she felt as if something was squeezing the air out of her lungs. Opening her eyes, she looked at the window and felt resolve building within her. Finally, she sprang forward just as the demon dashed out of the shadows at her. With all of her speed, the charged at the window. Diving forward, she burst through the glass, the demon just behind her. But she was slimmer than it and the demon hit the house, its head lodged in the window frame.

Kara hit then ground and rolled, instantly springing to her feet. "Jesus!" Spike yelled. "What happened?"

"Demon threw me into a tree," Kara said. "Kinda hurt."

The demon growled, yanking itself backwards until it fell onto the grass. With an agonized howl, it ran off into the night. "We should cover that," Xander said, warily eyeing the now broken window.

"He's right," Giles said. "Try to find something."

"What're we gonna do?" Buffy said, walking over to Kara. Kara looked over at her mother. Kara's eyes glinted in the dark.

"Wait for the sun to rise," Kara responded.

"And after that?" Faith asked, coming up behind Buffy.

"After that," Kara said sighing, "we see who's left."


	46. Aftermath

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: I want to be able to extend this fic, so I'm deviating off course with all of the First stuff a bit. So, once again, I'm going to put aside season seven and go from there. Thanks for all the reviews. As ever, keep 'em coming.

Previously:

"What're we gonna do?" Buffy said, walking over to Kara. Kara looked over at her mother. Kara's eyes glinted in the dark.

"Wait for the sun to rise," Kara responded.

"And after that?" Faith asked, coming up behind Buffy.

"After that," Kara said sighing, "we see who's left."

Chapter Forty-Five:

The first light of dawn flittered in through the half-covered window of Buffy's basement in myriad of shades of pale yellow. Kara's eyes fluttered open and she raised herself up on her elbows. The fog of sleep still held her mind captive and she glanced around the room. Thankfully, she noted, they were all still alive. She had expected the injured demon to return in the night with more fighters. Fortunately, that didn't happen. Instead, the group sat huddled in the basement all night listening to the demons wreak havoc on the world outside.

At some point, the sounds dwindled until there was silence. It sounded so strange, so foreign. When the silence took hold of the night, they were the most nervous of attack. Every little sound had them clawing for weapons. Then, eventually, they caved into the desire to sleep. One by one, they dropped like flies until they all had drifted away into pleasanter dreams. Kara smiled grimly, looking at the faces of her friends and family.

Willow was laying half on top of Tara in the corner. She had been muttering mystical incantations to protect the house all night. Hopefully, her efforts paid off. Xander and Anya were sitting upright, leaning against each other. Xander was clutching a baseball bat in his hand. Kara remembered looking over at him at one point during the night and his knuckles were blazing white from the tension of his grip. Kara smirked when she saw Joyce and Giles huddled together, yet, maintaining a small distance between them. Apparently, the awkwardness of the band candy incident had yet to wear off.

Dawn and Spike were lying at the bottom of the stairs. Spike had his arms wrapped protectively around her and she was nestled back into his chest, her face hidden in a wave of silky, brown hair. Finally, her eyes rested on Buffy and Faith. They had an arsenal lying around their feet. All night they had sat tensely, the slayer in them wanting to burst out of the house running and fight the demons pillaging the town. Instead, they fought against their very nature and hid. Kara knew it was difficult for them to do. Perhaps, it should have been more difficult for her. Had she not spent most of her life denying the slayer within, she might have been more in tune with the mystical aspect of her calling. However, as it was, she barely felt it tugging at the back of her mind. She suspected the only reason she even felt that was the power the Powers that Be gave to her. She had yet to tell the others about their secret weapon. If the First were to find out what she had waiting, she would never be able to pull it off when they needed it. Even in the midst of chaos and turmoil, she still felt the lingering grace of hope touching her heart.

Buffy stirred, rolled over, and draped her arm across Faith's stomach. Faith turned into the touch and her legs brushed against Buffy's. The movements seemed so natural. Kara sighed internally. Seeing them together made her miss Callum all the more. She missed the companionship of having someone hold her as she drifted away and wake up to in the morning. Yawning, she finally shook the fog clear in her mind and realized that someone was practically lying across her. Looking down, she smiled when she saw Kennedy sprawled out on top of her.

Kennedy had spent most of the night pacing back and forth in front of the broken window, glancing up at it warily, muttering under her breath. Despite the gravity of the situation, Kara had found it rather humorous. Kennedy wasn't a slayer yet and she didn't feel the pull to battle like Faith and Buffy did. Perhaps for that reason, she had been more willing to go along with the hiding and waiting plan than Spike had the night before. For whatever reason, Kara was grateful for the support.

Lying back down, she propped her head up with her arm and closed her eyes. She could hear the sounds of the earth waking up. The birds were stirring in the trees and a light breeze rustled the leaves. She imagined it would be refreshingly cool out. The one thing she loved about Sunnydale was the weather. She had spent most of the latter part of her time in the future world on the East coast. She hated the harsh winters of New York and Boston, or at least, what was left of them. The snow had been pretty at first, but there was no mode of transportation other than walking and they could rarely hunt anything in the winter.

She felt Kennedy stir and nearly burst out laughing when the girl's hair brushed against a ticklish spot on her stomach. Yawning, Kennedy's eyes flew open and she sat up. "Hey," she muttered, her voice thick and raspy from sleep. "Sorry about using you as a pillow," she said, smiling slightly.

Kara just shook her head. "No problem," she murmured. "Not like there's a whole lot of room down here anyway." Glancing up at Kennedy, she saw something briefly pass through her eyes, but fade away. She wondered what it was, but didn't have time to dwell on it.

"So do we know the damage?" Kennedy asked, motioning upstairs. Kara shook her head.

"Wanna go check it out?" She asked, pulling herself to her feet. Kennedy smiled and jumped up.

"Absolutely. They won't freak out if they wake up and we're gone will they?"

Kara smirked. "Probably. We won't be gone long though."

Carefully, they stepped around their sleeping friends and plodded up the stairs. Opening the door leading into Buffy's foyer, they glanced around before stepping out. "I don't feel anything," Kara muttered. "I don't think anyone's here."

"Yeah, me neither," Kennedy said. The front window of the living room was smashed in and some of the furniture had been wrecked. The front door was hanging off its hinges and broken glass littered the floor. Moving into the kitchen, they noted that the back door was still firmly intact. The kitchen window was broken, but there was little other damage. Creeping over to the stairs, they slowly ascended. They checked all of the upstairs rooms, pleasantly surprised to find little damage. Kara imagined that the demons didn't want to bother themselves with destroying anything above eye level.

"Should we go check on Jack and the others?" Kennedy asked, suddenly nervous about the status of her watcher. Kara smiled over at her, sensing her apprehension.

"Yeah, come on. I doubt anyone else will wake up for a while. It's still kinda early," Kara said as they went back down the stairs. Stepping around the broken front door, they wandered out into the front yard.

"Jesus," Kennedy muttered under her breath. The entire street was wrecked. It looked as if the demons had tried to rip the very concrete up out of the road. They had very nearly succeeded. Smoke curled in the sky from the fires they had set to various buildings and houses in town. The cars on the side of the road were smashed and smoldered in their own ruin. Kennedy had seen pictures of town and villages destroyed by wars. Sunnydale looked like one of those towns.

"Come on," Kara said, unconsciously grabbing Kennedy's hand in her own and leading her across the street. She was fully aware that Kennedy could take care of herself, but as a senior slayer, she still felt some responsibility to protect her.

Walking up to the blown out front door of the house across the street, Kara and Kennedy stepped inside. It smelled like smoke and blood. "Jack!" Kennedy called, hoping for some sign of life within.

"They might not even be here," Kara said. "He could have had them out slaying."

"Yeah, but then where would they be?"

"Holed up in a warehouse? Mausoleum? Who knows," Kara said, stepping further into the house. "Let's check the basement."

The basement door was locked, but Kara remedied that problem with a swift kick. The door flew off its hinges and rattled down the stairs. "Hello?" Kara called, peering into the dark.

"I hope you intend to pay for that," Jack said from behind them. Spinning around, the girls both breathed sighs of relief.

"Hey," Kennedy said, launching herself at him. After a brief embrace, she pulled away and returned to her spot standing next to Kara.

"You okay?" Jack asked them both. He looked as if he had spent most of the night pacing restlessly like Kennedy had.

"Yeah, we're all good. Hid out in the basement," Kara responded.

"Yes, we would have done the same, but we had a little incident," Jack reported.

"Is everyone okay?" Kennedy asked, referring to the dozen or so potentials that were living in the house. They had become like family to her and she dreaded to think anyone had gotten hurt, or worse.

"Yes, actually, we're all quite well. One of the demons ventured into the house and the girls fought it off. Killed it, actually. It's in the backyard. We dragged it out there last night; stunk to high heaven really," Jack said, smiling brightly. Kara laughed.

"Well I'll be damned. Here we were all hiding out, trembling in our boots, and Jack had his girls crusading against the forces of darkness," she teased, though incredibly proud of the girls. They had made amazing progress under Jack's guidance and she knew she had made the right choice in picking him to lead the new Council.

"Someone had to do it," Jack joked back. "We spent the rest of the night hiding out in the upstairs bedroom. Figured if we had any more trouble we could just escape to the roof. So how's the outside world?" Jack asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"Looks like an army of tanks rolled down the street," Kennedy muttered.

"Yeah, it's not too pleasant. It's gonna take a lot to fix up the town and I have a feeling this wasn't the only attack the First has planned. It wants to keep us down, oppress us into giving up," Kara said.

"If it just keeps hammering us with attacks, we won't have time to formulate a plan to fight back," Kennedy reasoned. Kara smiled to herself. The First thought it was being incredibly wily. Little did it know what they had in store.

"We've already got plans," Kara said. "And I think it's about time we start putting some into action."


	47. Research Party

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"If it just keeps hammering us with attacks, we won't have time to formulate a plan to fight back," Kennedy reasoned. Kara smiled to herself. The First thought it was being incredibly wily. Little did it know what they had in store.

"We've already got plans," Kara said. "And I think it's about time we start putting some into action."

Chapter Forty-Six:

"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate research?" Anya whined, nearly slamming her head down on the ancient text sitting in front of her. Kara smiled, briefly shifting her eyes up to study the face of the ex-vengeance demon. Glancing at each person gathered around the table at the Magic Box, she sighed and flipped her book shut.

"Okay, let's take a break. Meet back here in an hour and we'll pick up where we left off," Kara said as the group collectively stood and fanned out. Anya and Xander wandered off the finish cleaning up the store from the previous night's attack. Meanwhile, Willow and Tara left to procure coffee for the troops, though Kara didn't particularly believe that the energetic red head needed any more caffeine.

"I think we're making progress," Jack said from his place at the table. Both he and Giles had remained behind to continue researching. Though Kara knew a great deal about the final battle against the First, as it was Spike's favorite story, she didn't know much about the spell Willow had used to turn all of the potentials into slayers. No one ever told her where the Scooby gang found the spell or what was involved in it.

Leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes, she could hear the sounds of Buffy, Faith, Spike, Dawn and Kennedy training in the back. Her muscles twitched and begged for her to go back and join them, but she was far too tired to consider it. They had been at the Magic Box all day researching the spell and hadn't come up with too much. Some senior members of the Coven were scheduled to come later that night to assist them. Hopefully, with their expertise, they would find what they were looking for.

The door leading to the training room opened and Kennedy walked in, wiping her face off with a towel. "Where'd everyone go?" She asked, sitting down in the chair next to Kara and propping her feet up.

"We're taking a break," Kara said, with her eyes still closed.

"Research not going so great?"

"Well, we haven't exactly found anything yet," Kara answered, turning her head to look at Kennedy and smiling. "So I guess not."

Kennedy flashed her a lopsided grin. "Don't worry about it. You guys will find it sooner or later."

"Yeah, it's just the later part that's worrying me. If we can do this spell, all of you will have the strength, power, senses, and healing capabilities of the slayer. The First won't be so eager to send its troops out again with an army of slayers lurking around town," Kara said. "Speaking of the army of demons, they really messed this place up, didn't they?"

The store hadn't accrued as much damage as some of the other buildings in town, but the demons had done a number on it. The front window was busted out and most of the merchandise in the front of the store was broken. The door had been chewed in half and Xander spent most of the morning nailing wood planks across the window and doorframe to keep vandals and robbers out. Though there had been some thefts reported because of the chaos of reconstruction, the police managed to maintain order well enough to get the town back up and running. With few exceptions, the stores were all open and life was returning to normal. It was as if people had forgotten that they had spent the night before hiding in their basements to escape a horde of hell demons.

"Yeah, Xander did a good job cleaning it all up though," Kennedy commented. Anya and Giles had chosen not to open the store that day, since the gang was going to be using it as a research base. However, they could have easily opened it by mid afternoon. Xander had cleared out most of the broken merchandise and swept up all of the glass. "So which books haven't you looked through yet?"

"The ones over there," Kara said, pointing to a significantly larger stack of books than the ones they had read through. Kennedy smirked.

"It's gonna be a long night."

................................

Several hours later, Kara flipped another book shut and tossed it onto the pile of books that had nothing useful in them. Sighing, she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples slowly, trying to will her headache away. The Coven had arrived around eight o'clock at night and despite their extensive knowledge of the mystical arts, they hadn't been able to do much more than what the Scoobies had been doing prior to their arrival – reading. It was now nearing three o'clock in the morning and the group was starting to fade. Xander had already fallen asleep face first in his book and Anya didn't seem to be fairing much better. She was trying to stay awake, but her head would fall forward every couple of seconds. Finally, she gave in and fell asleep.

"There's gotta be an easier way of doing this," Kara muttered to herself. She tried to remember all of Spike's stories, but found them muddled in her mind. Veronica had told her that she had changed the future, so she wouldn't dream about it anymore. Did that mean she would start forgetting it too? The Scoobies had waited until the final battle itself to perform the spell. Kara had never quite understood why they waited. It would have made more sense to perform the spell earlier, to prevent the First from driving the town into ruin.

Kara closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, until her heart slowed into a steady rhythm. Focusing all of her strength on searching through her memories, she fell into a deep meditation. The cloud of black before her eyes changed into a swirling void of colors and sensations. Memories grazed into her like floating spheres of light. Swimming through the sea of time, she bumped into one sphere shining brighter than the rest. Kara's eyes flew open and she smiled brilliantly.

Leaping to her feet, she made her way over to Dawn, who was slumped against Spike. Shaking the girl gently, Kara whispered, "Dawn, wake up." Dawn stirred a bit and after a few seconds, her eyes fluttered open.

"Five more minutes," she muttered.

"Not this time. Come on, I need your help with something," Kara said as Dawn begrudgingly got to her feet. Leading her into the training room, she quietly shut the door behind them. "Sit in the middle of the floor," Kara instructed. Dawn quickly complied.

"What's going on?" She asked, now much more awake and slightly confused.

Kara sat next to her and took Dawn's hands in her own. "I want to try something. I've got this connection to the Powers that Be in my mind. I can access their realm when I'm in a state of suspended consciousness."

"What does this have to do with me?" Dawn asked warily.

"I want to take you to them. You're the Key, Dawn. You've got thousands of years of mystical energy swirling around inside of you. You see, you already know everything that's in those books. The knowledge is inherent to you."

"So if we go to the Powers, they can show me where the knowledge is inside of me so that we won't need a book to do the spell," Dawn said excitedly.

"Exactly," Kara responded, smiling. "Now close your eyes and wipe every thought from your mind. Steady your breathing."

The darkness swirled in front of Kara's eyes again and she found her grip on reality slipping. Welcoming the mind numbing oblivion of unconsciousness, she wandered into the realm of the Powers that Be. Opening her eyes, she found herself standing a beach again. It was night and the stars were shining down on her. Looking to her left, she saw Dawn standing next to her. "Open your eyes," Kara whispered. Dawn's eyes flew open and she gasped.

"Where are we?" She asked, looking around curiously.

"A transitory reality. The Powers can't come to our plane of existence, but we can meet them here. Kind of a middle ground, I suppose," Kara answered. She turned to the right and saw Veronica walking toward them.

"Who is that?" Dawn asked.

"That's Veronica. She's one of the Powers. Don't worry, she's cool," Kara said, sensing the younger girl's apprehension.

"I see you've brought someone with you this time," Veronica said, smiling brightly at Dawn. "Welcome."

"Thanks," Dawn replied, timidly smiling back.

"We need your help," Kara said.

"You need the spell, yes? To turn the potentials into slayers," Veronica said. "Come, I want to show you something."

Turning, Veronica began to walk away from them. Kara glanced over at Dawn and shrugged. "We'd better follow," she said. They followed after her, walking for several minutes along the water until Veronica stopped. To their left was the gaping mouth of a cave.

"This place exists in your world. Or at least, a copy of it does. This cave is a center of mystical energy. You'll need it to do the spell. Willow, Tara, and Dawn shall come here. You and Kennedy will wait outside and guard the entrance. Inside, they shall perform the spell. Kennedy will know when it's worked," Veronica explained.

"Where is the cave?" Dawn asked, feeling more at ease with the god.

"Just outside of Sunnydale," Veronica answered. Turning, she walked up to Dawn. Stopping just a few inches from her, she reached out and touched Dawn's forehead. Dawn felt blood rushing to her head and stars exploded in front of her eyes. "You have all you need now," Veronica said and smiled warmly at them before turning and walking away.

Kara's eyes flew open and she was back in the training room. "That was intense," Dawn said as she came back to reality as well.

Kara smiled. "Yeah," she answered, studying Dawn carefully. "You know what we need?"

"Yeah, I do," Dawn said, jumping to her feet. "Let's get the others. We have a spell to perform."


	48. The Spell

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Kara smiled. "Yeah," she answered, studying Dawn carefully. "You know what we need?"

"Yeah, I do," Dawn said, jumping to her feet. "Let's get the others. We have a spell to perform."

Chapter Forty-Seven:

"This is it!" Dawn said from the back seat of her mother's SUV. She, Willow, Tara, Kennedy, and Kara were crammed into the vehicle with a bag of magical supplies they obtained from the Magic Box. Despite their argument that the supplies were needed to prevent further damage to the town, and thereby the shop itself, Anya still insisted that they pay for everything they wanted. Though it pissed her off at the time, Kara found it rather humorous. It had embarrassed the hell out of Xander.

Pulling the SUV over, Kara shut off the ignition and stepped out onto the chipped gravel of the dilapidated access road. In front of them, waves were roaring, crashing onto the blackened beach. The moon was covered by a stretch of clouds and everything seemed much dark than it really was. It was only an hour or so before dawn, yet, it seemed to be in the dead of night. "Well, let's go," Kara said, once the others had joined her.

They took off walking, on what Kara expected to be a fairly decent hike. Dawn and Kennedy walked a few yards ahead of them. When they got close to the cave, Dawn would know. Tara, Willow, and Kara hung back, watching the waves. The two witches didn't want to overexert themselves before they even began the spell. From what Dawn was able to relate, it would be an intense experience. Veronica had wanted Kara and Kennedy guarding the cave because once the spell was over, Willow and Tara would be drained of their power. It would take them several days to recuperate fully.

"So what's the deal with you and Kennedy?" Willow asked lowly, so as not to be overheard. Kara looked over at her in confusion.

"Nothing," she replied slowly. Willow smiled knowingly and nodded her head.

"She likes you," she said, amused. Kara stopped walking and looked over at Willow.

"No she doesn't," Kara argued.

"Keep walking," Tara said, leading Kara on by the arm. "Don't want to raise any suspicions, do we?"

"But she doesn't like me," Kara said again, wracking her brain to try to come up with any instance in which she had thought Kennedy was checking her out.

"I swear she does," Willow maintained. "You can see it in her eyes when she looks at you. But she doesn't think you even see her."

"I see her," Kara lamely replied, still letting herself be dragged on by Tara.

"What do you feel when you see her?" Tara asked patiently.

"Hey guys! We're here!" Dawn yelled back to them, excitedly pointing to the large, gaping entrance of the cave.

"We have to go in there?" Willow asked timidly. "What if there's demons in there? Or frogs?"

"There won't be," Tara said reassuringly. "It's a center of mystical power. Only beings of light can enter it."

"Frogs aren't beings of light?" Kara asked suddenly, her eyes laughing.

Tara smiled, successfully stifling the laughter threatening to spill out of her. "I don't imagine they are."

"How do you know there's nothing in there?" Willow asked, looking to her girlfriend for reassurance.

"I can feel it," Tara said, smiling over to her. "Come on." The two witches began walking toward the cave, leaving Kara behind.

"I don't know what I feel," Kara mumbled to herself dejectedly. Groaning, she followed after them.

While Dawn, Tara, and Willow disappeared into the cave, Kennedy and Kara plopped down side by side on the sand. "Why did I get dragged out on the predawn sit and wait mission?" Kennedy groaned. "I could be sleeping right now."

"Yeah," Kara mumbled, resting her head on her arms and staring out at the water absently. Kennedy studied her for a moment.

"You okay?" She asked, seeing Kara's far off look. She imagined the other girl was thinking about Callum. She always seemed to be thinking about Callum when she got that look in her eyes.

"Five by five," Kara unconsciously muttered. She wasn't thinking about Callum, however, she was thinking about Kennedy. She distinctly remembered that moment in Buffy's basement when Kennedy had woken up after spending the night sprawled out on top of her. Something flashed through the younger girl's eyes that Kara couldn't quite place at the moment. Looking back on it now, it seemed to be a resigned, almost defeated love that flashed through Kennedy's eyes.

"Yeah, I believe that for a second," Kennedy said. After hanging around Faith enough, Kennedy had learned that the phrase five by five clearly meant that nothing was five by five, but the person saying it didn't want reveal his or her true feelings. "Seriously, what's bothering you?"

Kara turned her head, still resting it on her arms, and looked deep into Kennedy's eyes. She could see that same look there now. She thought it should be weird that she was starting to have feelings for another girl, but then she had been partially raised by two lesbian parents, and after them, Willow. Sighing, she looked back out at the ocean again. "I think I'm falling for you."

............................

Dawn, Tara, and Willow sat in a triangle formation on the cave floor. They had walked several yards in, until they could no longer hear the crashing of the waves. They didn't want anything to distract them. It took them a few minutes to set up a ring of candles. The light was dancing on the cave walls in a rich, amber glow that warmed their hearts. "So how does this work?" Willow asked, once they were set up.

Breathing in deeply, Dawn answered, "We have to be in a state of meditation. Then, I can access the knowledge and will telepathically link both of you to it."

"That's deep stuff," Tara said, eyeing Dawn carefully. The girl seemed older now, more mature, more focused. It was as if harnessing her powers as the Key had changed her somehow.

Dawn smiled. "Let's begin." As the three women fell deeper and deeper into a meditative state, a pale blue glow began to form around them, emanating from Dawn. Willow and Tara both gasped as the knowledge of the spell flooded their minds. The candles flickered and the spell began. Clutching Tara's hand tightly, Willow let her girlfriend's strength and calm flow into her. Dawn opened her eyes and watched as Willow's hair suddenly changed from red to white. "Wow," she muttered to herself as the blue light was replaced by a glowing golden light that filled the entirety of the cave. Suddenly, the light disappeared for a moment before bursting out more brilliantly and racing out of the cave. Willow and Tara fell forward in a heap, each panting, recovering from losing so much power.

"That was incredible," Willow muttered in between breaths. "Worked too, unlike some of my other ventures."

Dawn laughed. "Let's get you guys out of here," she said, her voice laced with affection for the two witches. She had a whole new respect for them after seeing the display of their power. "I like your hair," she murmured as she helped Willow to her feet.

"My hair?" Willow asked, looking down at a strand of her now white hair. "What the hell?"

"It'll wear off in a few days," Dawn said laughingly.

"I think it looks kinda sexy," Tara said, wrapping an arm around Willow's waist, in part to support herself, and in part to support Willow. Both were stumbling a bit.

"Anyone up for breakfast?"

...............................

Kennedy blinked, unsure if she had even heard the other girl correctly. "I'm sorry, you're what?" She asked after a few moments, desperately hoping that what she heard was true.

"I'm falling for you," Kara repeated, looking over at Kennedy. Kennedy's eyes were shining wet with unshed tears. "You okay?" Kara asked, suddenly concerned. Reaching out, she gently caressed Kennedy's cheek, her fingers studying the potential's face.

Kennedy smiled, reaching up and grabbing Kara's hand. She squeezed it tightly, as if she was afraid Kara would vanish if she let go. "Never been better," she said. Kara smiled and scooted closer to the girl, reaching up with her free hand and entangling it in Kennedy's raven locks.

"I've never really done this before," Kara whispered as she and Kennedy leaned closer to each other, only a few inches apart.

"First time for everything," Kennedy murmured as her lips crashed into Kara's. Both girls moaned into each other's mouths as their tongues grazed and dueled. They broke apart, breathing heavily, their eyes glazed over with desire. "You're so beautiful," Kennedy whispered, tucking a strand of Kara's dark hair behind her ear.

Suddenly Kennedy's eyes were filled with a glowing amber light. It flashed brilliantly before disappearing. "What the hell," Kennedy muttered, blinking several times. She felt different, stronger.

Kara smiled widely. "You're a slayer now."


	49. Visits

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: I apologize if the Kara/Kennedy pairing was a bit foreseeable, but I thought it might be interesting to try to explore that dynamic. Yes, some of you might disagree with me on that one, but I'm claiming creative license. :-p Also, I probably won't be updating tomorrow as I'll be spending most of the day at the Renfest. Enjoy.

Previously:

Suddenly Kennedy's eyes were filled with a glowing amber light. It flashed brilliantly before disappearing. "What the hell," Kennedy muttered, blinking several times. She felt different, stronger.

Kara smiled widely. "You're a slayer now."

Chapter Forty-Eight:

Kara sat under a tree in Buffy's backyard, watching the now newbie slayers train with Buffy and Faith. Though they had all of the powers of the slayer, most of them didn't know how to use their new gifts. They still needed to learn how to use their bodies, how to move and how to react to the strikes of their opponents. Faith and Buffy were attempting to teach the girls these things, though it was slow going. In typical watcher fashion, Giles and Jack were seated on the back steps by the kitchen door, watching and taking notes.

The spell had gone smoothly and Willow and Tara were upstairs resting. Dawn and Spike spent most of their time with them, bringing them food and helping them to research more about the First. Despite the energy draining intensity of the spell, Willow and Tara were recuperating quickly. Already, they could perform simple magical spells and incantations. Within a few more days, they would have gathered all of their strength back. Kara felt uneasy with the witches under full capacity. On the Hellmouth, one was never sure when a spell would be needed to vanquish some force of darkness.

"Shouldn't you be out there with them? Training for the big battle and all that?" A strangely familiar voice said from behind her. Turning, Kara saw the First approaching her. Rage swelled up in her heart, coating her throat in an acidic taste when she saw the skin the First had chosen to walk in. Callum smiled and casually sat down next to her, looking straight in her eyes. "What? I thought you'd be happy to see me," the First said in a laughing voice.

Kara blinked the red out of her eyes and turned away. "You should leave," Kara spat, her voice stained with malice.

"Oh, but what fun would that be? I just love that look on your face," Callum said, reaching out and touching the side of her face. Kara jerked away.

"What? The intense hatred?" She said, glaring over at the First.

"Of course. Don't you understand? I'm the First bloody evil. I live on fear and hatred and malice. All of those things are in your heart. You're the fuel that lights my fire, baby," it said, its eyes flashing in the sunlight.

"You're not gonna get anything from me. You should just leave," Kara said, turning away in disgust.

"I didn't come here to get information from you, Kara. I just wanted to be with you. After all, you do love me don't you?" The First said mockingly.

"I loved him," Kara ground out. "But you disgust me." Rising to her feet, Kara walked away from the tree. Jack and Giles saw her approaching and looking just over her right shoulder, saw the First hanging behind.

"Get in the house," Jack said sternly, opening the door for her. Then, he and Giles moved forward, ready to confront the scourge of Sunnydale. Faith and Buffy stopped what they were doing when they saw what was going down.

"Leave," Giles said, walking up to the First and stopped just inches from its incorporeal face.

"It must just eat you alive inside that you can't reach out and show me just how much you hate me, huh?" The First said, smiling smugly.

"You have no right to wear his face," Jack said calmly, eyeing the group of slayers advancing toward them.

"Oh, I have every right in the world my good man, to wear the face of your son. He is dead after all," the First said, knowingly slipping up a bit.

"Wait, what?" Jack said, realizing what the monster in front of him had just said.

"Oh bollocks," Giles muttered, grimacing. No one had told Jack about his parental affiliation with Callum after the lanky Englishman's death. They didn't see the point in hurting the man any more than Callum's death already did.

"They didn't tell you that convenient little fact? Yes, Callum was your son. Fine lad he was too. Don't you think?" The First replied as Jack paled.

"Leave him alone," Kennedy said from her place next to Faith. She had come to see Jack as a father figure in her life and didn't want him to suffer needlessly.

"Or what? You'll attack me with your new slayer strength. You can't touch me," the First growled. "So what did it take to get in Kara's pants, hmm? She's a hot little thing isn't she? Callum knew all about that. What makes you think you'll ever be more than second best? What she had to settle for?"

"Okay, that's enough!" Buffy yelled, effectively silencing everyone. "First off, when did you and Kara hook up?" Buffy asked, turning to Kennedy. "And secondly, get the hell out of my backyard. I don't care if you're incorporeal or not, I will kick your ass."

The First smiled, then nodded in acquiescence. "It's been a pleasure," it said before instantly vanishing.

"That thing is really annoying," Faith muttered under her breath.

"Jack? Are you alright?" Giles asked, turning to the younger watcher. Jack nodded.

"I just need some time," he said, turning and walking away from the others, into the nearly empty house. Closing the kitchen door behind him, he closed his eyes briefly and sighed.

"It told you, huh?" Kara said, appearing in the doorway. She folded her arms across her chest and studied the watcher's face. He looked older now, ever since he had taken on the responsibility of leading the new Council. Kara could see some gray dotting his hairline. She smiled absently.

"I take it you knew?" Jack asked, moving forward and sitting on one of the kitchen chairs. Kara joined him.

"I knew. He told me shortly before we went to visit you in England. He was so nervous," Kara said, smiling at the memory.

"I understand why you didn't tell me," Jack said slowly. "I imagine it was hard for him."

"Yeah, it was. He wanted to tell you, but you have a life here. One that didn't involve him. He didn't want to mess anything up," Kara said.

"I'm glad I got to know him," Jack replied, smiling softly. "And I'm glad he got to know you. He loved you very much."

"I know," Kara said, looking down at her hands. In a way, she felt like she was betraying Callum for moving on with Kennedy. Perhaps she should have waited longer, given herself more time to grieve. Yet, she felt like she was doing the right thing. Jack seemed to sense her inner turmoil.

"He would want you to move on, you know," he said with a knowing smile. "Kennedy's a lovely girl. A bit brat-ish at times," he said fondly. "But she's got a good heart."

"Yeah, she does. She's awfully fond of you, you know," Kara said, looking up at Jack. "I don't know much about her childhood or anything, what kind of parents she had. But she seems to think of you as a sort of father figure."

Jack smiled. "We're all a family here now. That's the way I want the Council to be run. Before all of this, the Council, it was so stark and cold. It became detached from the very people it relied on. Detached from the slayer. In order for an organism to survive, it has to be strong at its core – at its heart."

"We can achieve that here," Kara said, rising to her feet. "I'll give you some time."

Once Kara had left, Jack stood and wandered over to the kitchen window. He could see Faith and Buffy training his slayers, the heart and soul of what the Council stood for. He was proud of all of them and knew that when the time came, they would defeat the First. He just hoped that time wasn't rapidly approaching. There was a lot more work to be done before the final battle and they had only grazed the tip of the iceberg.


	50. Showdowns

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Once Kara had left, Jack stood and wandered over to the kitchen window. He could see Faith and Buffy training his slayers, the heart and soul of what the Council stood for. He was proud of all of them and knew that when the time came, they would defeat the First. He just hoped that time wasn't rapidly approaching. There was a lot more work to be done before the final battle and they had only grazed the tip of the iceberg.

Chapter Forty-Nine:

Kennedy was officially bored. She had been assigned the task of babysitting the recuperating witches, which basically amounted to bringing them food every couple of hours and making sure they didn't try to perform any spells that would further drain their power. It had been a day and a half since the spell that changed all of the potentials into official slayers. Though the witches were making good progress, they still had a long way to go. It was nearing three o'clock in the afternoon. In an hour, Joyce would be returning from the gallery and then Kennedy could go home.

Faith was at the Magic Box training with Giles while Buffy was in class. Jack and the other potentials were meeting with other Council officials in order for the girls to learn the ways of slayer hood. Dawn was in school, Xander was at work, Anya was at the Magic Box as well, Spike was napping at home, per usual, and Kara had disappeared sometime earlier without a word as to where she was going. She had a habit of doing that and though Kennedy worried about her while she was gone, Kara always came back before night fell. Kennedy suspected the older slayer went to the cemetery to talk to Callum, but she didn't know for sure; Kara never talked about where she went.

Sighing, she wandered into the living room and plopped down on the couch. Flipping on the television, she began channel surfing through all of the hideously horrible daytime television shows. Finally settling on an old episode of _Passions_, she propped her feet up on the coffee table and leaned her head back on the couch, resting her eyes. Willow and Tara had fallen asleep upstairs not long ago and Kennedy found herself feeling quite sluggish as well.

She was just drifting off into the sweet oblivion of unconsciousness when someone knocked on the door. Groaning, she pulled herself to her feet and walked over to the door. Pulling it open, she stared in shock at the person standing before her, finding herself unable to speak. "Cat got your tongue, darlin'?" Caleb asked, smirking. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to come in. Got some business with you dirty, little girls," he said, before reaching out and slamming the door open. Grabbing Kennedy by the throat, he easily tossed her into the wall.

Her head snapped back and white dots exploded in front of her eyes. Struggling to her feet, she kicked Caleb in the midsection as he approached, successfully winding him. She tried to turn to run up the stairs, but Caleb grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back. She didn't have any weapons and the only place she knew to look was the chest in Buffy and Faith's bedroom. Squeezing his arms around her, Caleb tried to crush the life out of her. Pain shot through her stomach, and Kennedy could feel her ribs breaking from the pressure.

Snapping her head back, she caught Caleb in the face. The bones in his nose crunched satisfyingly and he dropped her. Falling to her knees in front of him, she desperately tried to catch her breath, only to find that she couldn't. Caleb laughed, wiping the blood away from his face. "Well ain't that a convenient position you've found yourself in," he said mockingly. Grabbing her by the hair, he pulled her to her feet and drove his fist into her side.

Screaming out in pain, she felt her already broken ribs pressing against her flesh, threatening to break through. "That's right, scream for me," Caleb whispered. With one swift motion, he rammed her head into the wall. Blood covered her face, leaving an imprint on the white plaster. He continued beating her head in until she stopped moving and slumped in his grasp. Then he let her body fall to the floor. "They just don't make slayers like they used to," he muttered.

He turned to face the stairs, surprised to see the two witches standing at the top of them. "I really wouldn't do that if I were you," Willow muttered, her eyes turning dark with anger.

"I would leave," Tara said calmly. Though the witches weren't at full strength, Caleb could feel their power pushing at his mind. Stepping back, he chuckled to himself.

"As you wish. But I'll be back to kill every last one of you bitches," he snarled before turning and calmly walking out of the house, wiping the blood on his hands off onto his pants.

"Kennedy?" Willow said, grabbing onto the handrail of the stairs and slowly walking down. Just emanating power had zapped her strength. She felt like a feeble, old woman clutching onto the handrail, but each time she stepped, her legs would tremble from the exertion. Behind her, Tara did the same. They reached the bottom of the stairs and rushed over to Kennedy as fast as they could. Cradling the young slayer's head in her arms, Willow closed her eyes and tried to sense the girl's life force.

At first, she couldn't sense anything but murky darkness coming from the girl, but then, a small light flickered in her mind. "She's alive," Willow said suddenly. "Call an ambulance."

Struggling to her feet, Tara left to find the phone. "Hang in there," Willow said, wiping Kennedy's bloodstained hair from her face. "You're gonna be okay. Just hang on. You can't leave her like this now," Willow muttered, in reference to Kara. "She needs you."

.............................

Kara sat on the cliffs overlooking Sunnydale, at the very spot in her world where Willow had once tried to resurrect a pagan temple to end everyone's suffering. She could almost feel the suffering of the world now, looking out over the plagued, struggling town. She didn't understand why the residents of Sunnydale bothered to stay, when year after year they were plagued with vampires, demons, and every number of foul beasts imaginable. Yet, they lingered on, determined to survive and overcome. It was human nature to keep going in spite of overwhelming odds. Kara imagined that was why she was still alive today.

She liked to come up to the cliffs to think. It was a mystical place, surrounded by both the forces of darkness and light. Kara had seen both in her time, been both. She could recall numerous times when she could have done more to help the people around her in the face of destruction, yet, she did nothing, denying the slayer within time and time again. In those days, she had come to know the meaning of evil, of darkness. She discovered that evil could be perpetuated by actions, just as it could by lack of action. There were many kinds of evil in the world. But now, she was determined never to fail in her calling again, never to sit idly by while the world moaned in defeat.

She knew there would be a day when she would have to come to this place for any entirely different reason. When the final battle began, Veronica had told her to come to the cliffs. She didn't understand at first. Coming to the cliffs would mean she would have to leave her friends at the time they needed her the most, ultimately betraying them through her absence. Yet, she understood now. There was something she had to do here, something she had to perform that would change the tides of the battle in favor of the light.

"Sitting up here all by your lonesome?" A voice behind her asked. Groaning, Kara turned to see Caleb approaching her. She froze when she saw him. Blood covered his clothes and hands.

"What did you do?" Kara asked slowly, rising to her feet and eyeing him warily.

"Had a visit with a nice friend of yours. Can't really say how's she doing. Didn't look so good when I left," Caleb said, a wide smile gracing his features.

"Who?" Kara asked, moving forward as they began to circle each other defensively.

"Don't know. Mighty pretty girl though. One of those new slayers," Caleb answered. "But I didn't come here to talk about that little bitch. I came here for you. The First wants you dead."

"Didn't anyone ever tell it you don't always get what you want?" Kara shot back. Caleb's eyes narrowed in anger.

"Hold your filthy tongue," he said, stepping forward. "Before I rip it out of your mouth."

"Go ahead and try," Kara taunted. She was in the mood for a good fight and taking Caleb out was just the thing she needed.

Caleb growled low in his throat before charging at Kara. Sweeping his legs out from under him, Kara launched herself at him, knocking him to the ground. Landing on top of him, she mercilessly began beating him, using all of the strength her slayer powers afforded. Bucking his hips, Caleb managed to knock her loose. He scrambled away, wiping blood away from his mouth. Suddenly, he smirked, and reached behind him, pulling a knife out of his waistband. "I think it's time to try a new trick," he said before charging at her again.

He swung the knife wildly and Kara was forced to jump back in order to avoid being slashed. "Can't just fight me like a man, huh?" She said, avoiding another swing.

She could tell he was getting angry and she knew that an angry opponent was a stupid opponent. Rushing at her again, Caleb slammed his head into her chest, knocking her onto the ground. Kara found herself unable to breathe for a few agonizingly long seconds. Finally, she sucked in a breath. Caleb tried to bring the knife down into her heart, but she grabbed his arm at the last second. They battled for control for several seconds, each barely moving the other before Caleb wrenched his arm free, slashing Kara in the side of the throat in the process.

She could feel blood trickling down her skin and she started to panic. Lifting her knee up, she slammed it into Caleb's chest, hoisting him off of her, and shooting him back through the air. He landed in a heap on the ground several feet away, the knife flying out of his hand and vanishing in the brush. "Shit," Kara murmured, her hand flying up to her wound. It wasn't serious, she could tell from feeling it. But that didn't make it hurt any less.

Both opponents rose to their feet, eyeing each other warily. "This has been fun," Caleb said suddenly, after assessing the situation and deciding it wouldn't end in his favor. "We'll have to do it again sometime." Backing away, he disappeared into the forest, leaving Kara standing by the edge of the cliff, clutching her bleeding neck.

"Bastard," she muttered to herself. Ripping a piece of her shirt off, she pressed the cloth to the knife wound to stop the bleeding. Then she reluctantly began walking back to town, knowing she should cleanse the wound before an infection set in.

Buffy's house was closer, so she decided to go there. Walking up the front steps, she froze when she saw a trial of bloody footprints leading away from the door. Rushing forward, the slammed the front door open, only to find the foyer coated with blood. "Willow! Tara! Ken!" Kara yelled as she began to search the house. Panic swelled up in her heart and she felt like she couldn't breathe. She couldn't lose someone again, not so soon after losing Callum.

By the phone, she found a note written in Tara's flowery scrawl. It was short and to the point, and blood stained the paper around the edges. Lifting it up, Kara quickly read it, her heart sinking in her chest.

"Come to the hospital as soon as you read this. It's Kennedy."


	51. The Hospital

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: I have midterms this week, so I may not be updating as much, but then, it might be nice to sit down and write for an hour or so each day to clear my head. So who knows. Thanks for the reviews and keep 'em coming.

Previously:

By the phone, she found a note written in Tara's flowery scrawl. It was short and to the point, and blood stained the paper around the edges. Lifting it up, Kara quickly read it, her heart sinking in her chest.

"Come to the hospital as soon as you read this. It's Kennedy."

Chapter Fifty:

Faith looked up at the crucifix in front of her. Though she used crucifixes nearly every day in her line of work, she never stopped to think about what they represented. Staring into the mournful eyes of the statue Jesus, she smiled slightly, remembering the church across the street from her apartment back in Boston. Her mother, despite all of her failings, had been a somewhat devout Catholic. Faith imagined her devotion stemmed from the fear that all of her horrific actions in life would catch up to her one day. Shivering slightly, Faith realized she shared that same fear.

"What're you thinking about?" Buffy asked, her voice muffled slightly, as her head was leaning on Faith's shoulder. Faith could feel the blonde slayer's breath tickling the side of her neck. They were sitting in the hospital chapel. Kara hadn't arrived yet and Kennedy was still in surgery. The rest of the Scoobies were out in the waiting room, but both Buffy and Faith felt entirely useless sitting around. Instead, they decided to go to the chapel, where it was quiet and they didn't have to think about what was happening to Kennedy behind closed doors.

"Nothing," Faith whispered, looking down at her fiancée. She smiled at the thought and pressed a gentle kiss to Buffy's forehead. The action reminded her of a time when her life hadn't been quite so together. She remembered the day she tried to turn Angel against Buffy, how her ruse had been flipped around and used against her. She had felt so betrayed when she learned Buffy and Angel had known what she was doing the entire time. Looking back on it now, she could only imagine how betrayed Buffy felt. Just before retreating into the night, she had pressed a rough kiss to Buffy's forehead. Life took a considerably worse turn after that.

"I hope she's okay," Buffy said absently. "I don't think Kara could take losing someone else so soon."

"Yeah," Faith replied. Reaching up, she began to twirl a strand of Buffy's golden hair around her finger. "My mom used to go to this church across the street from our apartment every Sunday. I think she went on all the religious holidays and shit too," Faith said. "She used to drag me with her and I'd hide out in the back row of pews. The cross always used to freak me out."

"Why?" Buffy asked, leaning up slightly so she could see into Faith's eyes. She looked so innocent and young sometimes, moments when it seemed like the weight of the world and all of her sins weren't constantly dragging her down. She looked so beautiful with the candle light flickering across her face. But her eyes looked hollow, lost.

"I don't know. The priests always made a big deal about how you had to bow before it whenever you walked by. I always wondered what would happen if you didn't. So of course, I tried," Faith said, laughing slightly. "And nothing happened. All that build up and nobody gave shit if you didn't bow in front of it. I wanted lightening to come down and burn me up or something. But nothing happened."

"Yeah, that sounds like something you would do," Buffy said smiling.

"I wish there was more we could do for her," Faith said suddenly. "I mean, there's all this pain and death and we can't stop any of it. I just wish she didn't have to live in a world like this."

"Who?" Buffy asked, slightly confused.

"Kara," Faith responded. "We're her parents and we can't protect her from anything."

"You can't protect people from life, Faith," Buffy said, grabbing her hand and gently squeezing it.

"Not life. This life," Faith said, her eyes turning dark. "No one should have to live like we do."

"I know," Buffy replied, reaching up with her free hand and brushing a strand of Faith's hair behind her ear. "I love you," Buffy whispered, leaning up and kissing the side of Faith's neck, her tongue lazily tasting her skin.

Faith's eyes fluttered shut and she leaned her head back slightly, giving Buffy more access. She moaned lowly and cupped the side of Buffy's face, leaning in until her lips were inches from the blonde slayer's. "I love you too, B," she whispered, her breath tickling Buffy's lips and sending shivers up and down her spine. Darting her tongue out, she ran it along Buffy's lower lip, smiling when she tasted her lover's cherry lip-gloss. "You taste good," she murmured before parting Buffy's lips with her tongue and plunging it into her mouth.

"Uh, guys?" Dawn said from the doorway of the chapel. "Hello, in a house of worship. Don't think you're supposed to be making out."

Faith and Buffy quickly broke away, both of their faces flushed and red from embarrassment and desire. "What's up?" Buffy asked, once she had regained a shred of her dignity.

"Kennedy's out of surgery," Dawn said, her face turning sober. "She's in a coma."

..............................

Kara sat on a bench across the street from the hospital. A cold wind was blowing her hair out in front of her face. Wrapping her jacket tightly around her, she pulled her knees up against her chest and rested her head on them. She had stood outside the hospital for the longest time, willing herself to move, but her legs wouldn't carry her forward. Her emotions had tumbled from intense panic to rage to nothing. She tried to feel something as she sat there, but she couldn't.

"What're you doing out here?" Anya asked, walking up to her. "Shouldn't you be inside?"

"I can't," Kara said, her voice cracking. "If I stay out here, I don't have to find out how she is. She could be dead. But as long as I don't go in there, I'll never know."

Anya regarded her for a moment before smiling sadly. Sitting on the bench next to her, she wrapped her arm around Kara's shoulder. She could feel Kara's breath hitching in her chest from holding back her tears. Finally, the younger girl let them out. Sobs wracked her body and turning toward Anya, she wrapped her arms around the ex-vengeance demon's neck and buried her face in her jacket. "It's okay," Anya said, running her hand up and down Kara's back in lazy circles. "She's gonna be fine."

"You don't know that," Kara said, sniffling in between sobs.

"I don't _know_ it. But I can feel it. Life works in strange ways, you know. You think you have everything and then it pulls the rug out from under your feet. But it all happens for a reason. It's all to teach us something," Anya said slowly, watching the people walking in and out of the hospital. Some looked nervous, other relieved, but it was a constant cycle. The people walked in and walked out, but even if they never walked back out, someone else would. Often, life seemed so arbitrary and pointless to Anya, but every once in a while, she could see meaning in it all, like some ghost flitting through her peripheral vision. The meaning was just a blur, but it was there all the same.

Eventually Kara's tears slowed to a stop and she pulled away, wiping her eyes. "Thanks," she murmured, smiling slightly. Anya smiled back and grabbed Kara's hand.

"Come on," she said, helping Kara to her feet and leading her into the hospital. The building was alive with activity, nurses and doctors rushing about. Voices crackled over the loudspeaker system and it seemed as if there would never be a moment of silence. "This way," Anya said, pulling the girl down one of the hallways. They stepped into the elevator and Kara sighed, leaning back against the wall.

"What happened to your neck?" Anya asked, noticing the blood staining her friend's jacket collar and the angry looking gash.

"Caleb," Kara spat out in disgust. "He's the one that attacked Kennedy too. Went looking for me right after."

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. They walked out into the flow of people and Kara hung back, letting Anya lead the way. Finally, they stepped into one of the waiting rooms and Kara saw all of her friends gathered around, sitting in the plastic chairs against the wall. They stood when she came in. As soon as Joyce saw her, concern flashed through her eyes and she rushed over.

"Are you okay?" She asked, carefully inspecting Kara's wound.

"It's nothing," Kara said dismissively, though she smiled half-heartedly at her grandmother. "Any news?"

Buffy and Faith looked at each other and stepped forward. "Yeah," they both said at the same time. The rest of the group scattered, taking their seats around the room as Buffy and Faith led Kara over to the corner. Sitting down, they stared uncomfortably at each other for several long moments until Buffy began to speak.

"She's in a coma," Buffy said suddenly, mentally smacking herself for rushing straight through the sugarcoated version. Faith rolled her eyes.

"Blunt much," she whispered under her breath.

"Do they know if she's gonna wake up?" Kara asked, her heart catching in her throat.

Faith sighed and reached over, taking her daughter's hand in her own. "They don't know," she said slowly. "But the longer she stays out, the less likely it is she'll wake up."

"Shit," Kara muttered, leaning back in her chair. Her eyes nearly turned black as she thought of what she'd do to Caleb the next time she saw him.

"We know who did it," Buffy said, looking over at Faith, concerned at the change in Kara's eyes.

"So do I," Kara growled. She nearly leapt to her feet, but Faith held her down.

"No, you have to stay here in case she wakes up. Let us find him, okay?" Faith reasoned. Kara thought for a moment before reluctantly nodding.

Buffy and Faith stood, preparing to walk away, but Kara reached up and grabbed Faith's elbow. "Do me a favor," Kara said, her voice low and rough. "Bring me back his head."


	52. Heads are gonna roll

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Sweet Jesus, Civil Litigation is the most boring topic ever contrived. And now, after cramming seven chapters of it into my head, I think my mind has experienced a meltdown of nuclear proportions. I'm in a really strange mood right now, so sorry if this is a little weird. On with the writing!

Previously:

Faith and Buffy quickly broke away, both of their faces flushed and red from embarrassment and desire. "What's up?" Buffy asked, once she had regained a shred of her dignity.

"Kennedy's out of surgery," Dawn said, her face turning sober. "She's in a coma."

..................

Buffy and Faith stood, preparing to walk away, but Kara reached up and grabbed Faith's elbow. "Do me a favor," Kara said, her voice low and rough. "Bring me back his head."

Chapter Fifty-One:

"We're so goin' to hell," Faith muttered to herself.

"How do you figure that?" Buffy asked, looking up from her work.

"Look at what we're doing," Faith pointed out, grimacing slightly.

"What? This?" Buffy asked, holding up her bloodied axe.

"Yeah, I mean, he's a preacher and all that," Faith replied.

"An evil one," Buffy pointed out, swinging the axe.

"And it's bad enough that we killed him," Faith exclaimed.

"Though he would have killed every single person in this town given the chance," Buffy argued back.

"Don't you think we've done enough?" Faith asked in exasperation, throwing her hands up in defeat.

"You're the one who said we should do more for Kara. And she asked us to do this," Buffy replied, hoisting the axe up and delivering one final blow to Caleb's neck. His head disconnected and rolled a couple of feet away.

"Yeah, but this is a little weird, even for me," Faith replied, feeling slightly nauseous at the sight of Caleb's decapitated form.

"She needs the closure," Buffy said, wiping the axe off on a cloth. "Besides, it'll send a clear message to the First that we're not gonna sit back and watch it pick us off one by one anymore."

"That's true," Faith responded, finally agreeing with something Buffy had said. Buffy smiled brilliantly, before pulling a duffel bag out of her supplies. Gingerly picked up the severed head, she dropped it into the bag and zipped it shut.

"Look, the guy was evil. We're doing our jobs. So what if we happen to lop his head off in the process. Tough luck for him. I don't think anyone's gonna mourn the loss," Buffy said vehemently. She knew Faith had issues with the thought of killing human beings ever since her experience with the 'darkside.' Though Caleb was technically human, he was a harbinger of the greatest evil known to man, who actively went around killing young girls for no other reason than their potential birthright. Buffy didn't particularly see the problem with any of it.

"I know. I still object though," Faith grumbled. "You ready or you wanna hack any of these other guys to bits while we're here?" Faith asked, motioning to the dead bringers lying about the room. It had been quite a fight. Buffy and Faith caught Caleb and his men off guard. Faith supposed Caleb had planned on the Scoobies being too preoccupied with Kennedy's condition to worry about a counterattack. However, Faith and Buffy had come fully armed and had dispatched all of their enemies within a matter of minutes, even the mighty Caleb, who fell under the assault of two slayers.

"Nah, I think I'm good," Buffy said, pretending to consider it for a moment. Faith flashed her a lopsided grin and looped her arm around Buffy's. "You want to grab some food?" Buffy asked innocently.

Faith stared over at her incredulously. "B, we're carrying out a guy's severed head in a duffel bag. I don't really think now's a good time for the munchies," She replied, rolling her eyes as Buffy started laughing. "You're turning into one sadistic chick," Faith muttered.

"Yeah, but you love me anyway," Buffy said, smiling softly up at Faith.

Planting a kiss on her lover's forehead, Faith grinned. "Yeah, I really do."

.................................

"So why can't Willow heal her?" Dawn asked, sitting on the other side of Kennedy's hospital bed from Kara. Kara sighed, leaning forward and taking Kennedy's hand in her own.

"She hasn't recovered from the other spell yet," Kara said.

"Oh," Dawn replied, sitting back in her seat dejectedly. "So there's nothing we can do?"  
"Nope. Even if Willow could heal her, it's too late now. Kennedy's lost," Kara explained.

"What do you mean, lost?"

"She's lost in her own mind. She has to find her own way out now," Kara said, smiling half-heartedly at Dawn.

"Hey, Nibblet," Spike said, knocking on the door softly as he entered the room. "Your mum's heading out to get some food. I thought we could go with."

"Yeah, sure," Dawn said, slowly pushing out of her chair and walking over to Kara. Giving her a quick hug, she smiled briefly before leaving the room.

"How's she doing?" Spike asked, lingering for a moment. Kara looked back at him and shrugged.

"It's up to her now," Kara said, turning back to her girlfriend. Spike nodded and quietly exited the room, knowing that Kara wanted to be alone.

Kara leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. She was exhausted. Before she knew it, her head was drooping down on her chest and she drifted off to sleep. The world was dark behind her eyes, a swirling pool of oblivion.

Suddenly she found herself standing on a cluster of rocks looking out over a river. The moon was out, round and full, high above the earth. "Nice," Kara muttered to herself. Her dreams weren't usually so beautiful.

"Thought you might like it," Kennedy said, walking up behind her. Kara turned around in surprise.

"Is this my dream or yours?" She asked, smiling widely. Kennedy reached out, playing with the hem of Kara's shirt before pulling her into a warm embrace.

"No clue," Kennedy whispered truthfully, eliciting a laugh from Kara.

"Well, if it's yours, coma land ain't bad," Kara commented pulling away from Kennedy and looking around. The river was a deep blue that reflected all of the stars in the sky, their brilliance illuminated in the water.

"Yeah, and now that you're here, I don't have to leave," Kennedy said, sighing. "I'm so lost."

"I know," Kara said, wrapping her arm around her girlfriend's shoulders. "But you have to find your way out. We need you. I need you," she stressed, planting a soft kiss on Kennedy's cheek.

Kennedy smiled over at her sadly. "You have to go," she said reluctantly. "I'll see you soon."

Kara awoke with a start, nearly falling out of her chair. "So that's what a slayer dreams is like," she muttered to herself, leaning back in her chair. She felt more exhausted than when she had fallen asleep, like her brain had been running circles in her skull the entire time she was unconscious. Leaning forward, she tucked a strand of Kennedy's hair behind her ear. "I'll be right here waiting."

"Hey, who're you talking to?" Buffy asked as she and Faith strode into the room purposefully. Kara turned and smiled at them briefly, wondering why Buffy was carrying a duffel bag.

"Myself, mostly," she replied. "What're you guys doing here?"

"We brought you something," Buffy said rather cheerfully. Faith rolled her eyes and dropped down into the chair next to Kara.

"I'll have you know, she had way too much fun with this," Faith said, popping a piece of gum in her mouth. Kara smirked.

"Doing what?" She asked, eyeing Buffy suspiciously.

Buffy sat the duffel bag down at Kara's feet. "Open it," she instructed.

Kara zipped open the bag and leaned back in her chair. "Well I'll be damned," she said.

"Yeah, won't we all," Faith muttered under her breath.

Buffy pulled up a chair, sitting on the other side of Kara. "You wanted his head, we brought you his head. Can we get anything else for ya?" She asked, wrapping an arm around Kara's shoulders. Kara looked over at her and smiled, laughing to herself.

"No, I think I'm good now," she said, peering into the bag. "You know, I wasn't completely serious."

"I told you," Faith said smugly to Buffy, blowing a bubble with her gum.

"Yeah, but it was kinda fun. Besides, what's a mother for than to deliver the decapitated head of her daughter's girlfriend's deranged, priestly attacker in a duffel bag?" Buffy replied.

"It's a nice piece of work too," Faith said leaning forward suddenly. "See how she cut his head off right below the preacher's collar?"

Kara smiled, tearing up slightly. Wiping her eyes, she turned to them both and said, "Thanks you guys. You're the best."


	53. New Enemies

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Notes: Thanks for the reviews, keep 'em coming. Midterms went well so there's a happy writer in the building.

Previously:

Kara smiled, tearing up slightly. Wiping her eyes, she turned to them both and said, "Thanks you guys. You're the best."

Chapter Fifty-Two:

Faith, Spike, and Kara sat on Buffy's living room sofa watching the rest of the Scoobies scurry about hanging up Christmas decorations. "I don't get it," Spike said, an expression akin to confused amusement on his face.

"Neither do I," Faith said, shrugging. "The most I ever did for Christmas was hang a pathetic string of half-burned out lights in my motel room."

"Yeah, we didn't really celebrate Christmas up in the future, what with the world ending and all. No one really seemed to be in the shopping mood," Kara commented, as Xander and Jack dragged a rather large and very much alive Christmas tree in through the front door.

"That's gonna make such a mess," Faith said, noting the overwhelming pine scent.

"Well, it's not like Spike or I will have to clean it up," Kara said, smiling over at the vampire.

"Yeah, we don't live here," Spike added. "But you do," he said, looking over at Faith.

"Shut up," Faith grumbled.

"Would you guys get up off your asses and help us out please?" Buffy said, walking up to them and folding her arms across her chest, looking rather irritated.

"Uh oh," Faith whispered. "That's not good."

"We were just saying how well the lot of you was doing without us," Spike said, trying his best to charm his way out of hanging garland.

"I don't think so," Dawn said, coming up behind her sister. "Spike," she said sweetly, "If you know what's good for you, you'll help." With that, she spun on her heel and stalked off. Spike looked after her for a moment, rather alarmed, before jumping to his feet. Looking back at his partners in crime apologetically, he mumbled something and sheepishly followed his girlfriend.

"He's so whipped," Kara commented, watching the vampire leave.

"And unfortunately, so am I," Faith said, rising to her feet. "Come on, we better go help them before they kill someone," Faith said, motioning to Xander and Jack. The tree was leaning at a rather odd angle and she could easily see someone being crushed by it. Kara reluctantly followed her mother.

She never did understand the purpose behind the holidays. Though she imagined her complete lack of knowledge about anything festive was due entirely to the situation in which she lived in the future. She knew Xander was trying to make a big deal out of everything since she hadn't had a family Christmas for as long as she could remember. However, she thought perhaps they were going a bit overboard with it all. It seemed as if there wasn't an inch of the house that didn't have something red or green on it.

"So we never did any of this when you were little?" Faith asked, looking over at Kara as they steadied the tree.

"I don't really remember. Everyone died so early and then when shit hit the fan, the past didn't matter anymore. The longer you lived in my world, the more you forgot what it as like to be human – what it was like to actually live," Kara said, her voice detached, distant. She clearly remembered sitting on the edge of the world, incapable of feeling anything but an unflagging hopelessness that gnawed away at the very core of her being until there was nothing left.

"Well, that's all gonna change," Xander said, stepping back to admire their work.

"It's kinda big, Xander," Anya said, walking up to the group.

"I hear that all the time," Xander quipped, earning a smack on the arm from his wife. Kara and Faith desperately tried to restrain themselves, but couldn't help the laughter that rolled out of them in waves.

Xander rolled his eyes and looked over at Jack. "Let's go get the decorations," he said.

"I think we bruised his poor, male ego," Kara said, once she had managed to calm her laughter.

"He'll get over it," Anya said dismissively. Christmas Eve was only a day away and fortunately, for the Scoobies, the First seemed to be keeping a low profile. Ever since Buffy and Faith had decapitated Caleb, the First's primary warrior, it hadn't resurfaced. Though the rest of them seemed to think the First's disappearance was a welcome event, Anya, Kara, and Faith were more on edge than ever. The three women found themselves constantly trying to stay busy to keep from thinking about what the First was planning.

"Think we should patrol tonight?" Kara said, looking over at Faith. Faith nodded.

"Definitely. Something's going on," Faith said, sighing wearily.

"I talked to my old demon contacts," Anya said, turning to them. "There's no news of anything even remotely evil going down anytime soon. It's like the First just disappeared."

"Which we know isn't true," Kara added.

"That's what it wants us to think," Faith said, absently playing with some pine needles.

"So it can sneak up on us and catch us unaware," Anya finished. The three women suddenly shivered, feeling entirely uncomfortable.

"Well aren't we a pessimistic bunch?" Faith said, chuckling slightly. Anya and Kara smiled.

Anya looked over at Xander and Jack, who were lugging in some boxes. "We do live on the Hellmouth."

.................................

"Things are going exactly as planned," the First said, as it walked along the edge of the Hellmouth, peering down at the mass of uber vampires gathered below. Hell was about to burst open and it was going to be beautiful. There were still some vampires and demons waiting to be brought up from the lower realms. Once the army was complete, they would attack. "And they all believe that you died trying to find the potentials?"

"Yes," Robson said, walking along next to the First.

"When you show up, they'll be most happy to see you then," the First said, grinning wildly.

"I imagine they will be," Robson answered, grinning over at his master.

"Good. Find out as much as you can about what they have planned. Kara has something up her sleeve. I know it," the First said, pausing as it morphed from Faith's face into Buffy's face.

"I'll report back as soon as I can," Robson said, nodding cordially before turning and walking back the way they had come.

"Robson?" The First called. "Don't disappoint me like Caleb did."

Robson paused, but didn't look back. He had arrived the night the slayers decapitated his predecessor. The First had contacted him a long time ago, tempting him until he could no longer resist. Robson had been a watcher for a long time. Though he watched slayer after slayer fight valiantly against the forces of darkness, evil never died. It could never be vanquished. Warriors of light could beat it back, hold it off, but no one could ever stop the spread of darkness in the world. Though he understood that his choice wasn't morally sound, he was tired of being on the losing side.

"I won't," he silently swore. When the cold, night air hit his face, he looked up at the moon and sighed. Things weren't going to end well for the world, but that wasn't something he would have to worry about anymore. He was beyond it now. The world was going to fall apart, crash into darkness and fire, and he would watch it all. But in the end, he wasn't going to be burn with it.


	54. Christmas Eve

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Ah, how wonderful it is to know that someone out there shares my slightly warped sense of humor. Thanks for the reviews.

Previously:

"Robson?" The First called. "Don't disappoint me like Caleb did."

"I won't," Robson silently swore. When the cold, night air hit his face, he looked up at the moon and sighed. Things weren't going to end well for the world, but that wasn't something he would have to worry about anymore. He was beyond it now. The world was going to fall apart, crash into darkness and fire, and he would watch it all. But in the end, he wasn't going to be burn with it.

Chapter Fifty-Three:

Robson snuck up to the large picture window that revealed the living room of Buffy's house. Crouching in the bushes, he peered inside, watching the Scooby gang as they gathered there, laughing and talking. He felt a twinge of guilt as he watched them unaware, like some sort of voyeur, violating the sanctity of their lives. It was a passing fancy though and it quickly fled his mind. The entire group seemed to be gathered there, including Jack Borland. The newbie slayers were absent, most likely having their own Christmas Eve party in the house across the street. He would check on them later.

The First had wanted him to focus his energies on Kara. Glancing about the room, he found her standing by the archway that led to the foyer, talking animatedly about something with Spike. According to his knowledge, Kara lived a few streets over with Spike and one of the newbie slayers, a girl named Kennedy. The First informed him that Kennedy was in coma, courtesy of his predecessor, Caleb. Despite their efforts to break Kara down, by killing her former boyfriend Callum and by attacking her current girlfriend, she always seemed to bounce back, refusing to lose hope in the people around her.

The First adamantly believed that Kara had something up her sleeve, some secret plan that she would introduce at the last possible moment. However, Robson wasn't so sure. By activating all of the potential slayers, Kara had delivered a terrible blow to the First's army. No longer could they roam the streets of Sunnydale unchecked. Now, slayers wandered the night in teams, guarding the residents of Sunnydale as they slept, unaware of what was happening around them. Every night, the teams of slayers dispatched more and more vampires and demons that worked for the First.

Despite this, Robson knew that once the First let loose its demons, Sunnydale and the world wouldn't stand a chance. An army of little girls couldn't stop an army of hell demons. There was something different about Kara, some hidden strength or power. Robson could see it shimmering around her, like an invisible shield. But he didn't know what it was. "That's interesting," he muttered to himself. He folded his hands and brought them up to his mouth, gently blowing air into them, warming them. It was a cold night and the wind seemed to pierce through his layers of clothing, down to his skin. He smiled to himself, despite the discomfort, knowing that when hell broke loose on earth, he wouldn't be cold again.

...............................

"Havin' a good time?" Xander asked, sidling up to Spike and Kara. Kara smiled over at him as he slung his arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah," she said sincerely. "This is cool, having everyone here."

"Well, that's what Christmas is all about after all," Spike said, the slight cheer in his voice betraying the scowl he was trying to pass off. Though Spike had completely transformed himself from a deranged, killer vampire into a warrior for good and righteousness, he _was_ still a vampire. For some reason, celebrating goodwill and Santa Claus seemed to be entirely against his nature. Still, that didn't stop him from buying his love a special gift he planned to give her that night. He smiled, knowing she would love it.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Xander asked Kara suddenly, motioning toward the kitchen.

"Sure," Kara said, handing her drink off to Spike. Together, they slipped out of the living room and disappeared into the kitchen. Anya watched them go, smiling slightly.

"So what's up?" Kara asked, once the kitchen door had quietly swung closed behind them.

"I wanted to give you something," Xander said, smiling a bit nervously as he pulled a wrapped box out of one of the kitchen cabinets.

"Nice hiding place," Kara smirked. Xander smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, I know. I freaked out and shoved it in there before I knew what I was doing," Xander replied, eliciting a laugh. He handed the box to Kara and watched as she ripped open the colored paper.

The paper fell away to reveal a picture frame wrought out of metal, painted green with sculpted ivy leaves around the edges. Contained inside was a picture of Kara, Xander, Anya, Buffy, and Faith gathered around the table at the Magic Box. The picture had been taken without their knowledge and each person was intently pouring over books, researching some demonic threat, but each person had a sense of calm and belonging that made Kara smile. "When was this taken?" Kara asked quietly, looking at the picture intently.

"A couple of weeks ago," Xander answered, moving around beside Kara to look at the picture as well. "Willow took it with this digital camera she bought to help Giles and Jack inventory all of the Council weapons and artifacts. She was testing it out and decided to take this picture of us."

"Xander made the frame," Anya said softly, as she walked into the room. Kara looked up in surprise.

"You did?" She asked, smiling over at him. Xander instantly blushed and smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah," he said. "Worked on it in my spare time."

"Thank you. This is really beautiful," Kara said softly, blinking back tears. Anya walked up beside her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"We wanted to give this to you to show how much we all love you," Anya said, looking down at the picture. "I know this whole situation is strange, being in this time line with Xander, Buffy, and Faith. But I just wanted you to know, that you're Xander's daughter, so that means you're mine too," Anya said, smiling as Kara turned and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Thank you so much," Kara replied, her voice slightly muffled in Anya's sweater.

"Your welcome," Anya said, finally feeling that after over a thousand years of floating through one lifetime to the next with no where to belong, she had found her home and her family. She finally understood what it was like to be human and she found that she loved it.

"So, best Christmas ever?" Xander joked, lightening the mood as usual.

Kara laughed, pulling away from Anya, and discreetly wiping the tears away from eyes. "Yeah, most definitely."

...............................

When the party broke up, Spike stayed behind to help Joyce clean up. Buffy and Faith were walking Kara home, indulging in a little family time. Xander and Anya lingered for a while, but lack of sleep caught up with them and they had departed not long ago. Jack quickly bowed out to start cleaning up the mess left in his own house by the newbie slayers, who had developed quite the reputation for being hard partiers. Willow and Tara had been the only others to stay behind, washing dishes in the kitchen. Joyce piled some paper plates into a bulging trash bag and tied it closed.

"I'm gonna take this around back," she said, smiling softly at the vampire. She supposed that she should feel guarded around him, considering what he was. But she had never felt that way. For some reason, she had always been able to see the man in him and not the monster. She knew that Spike genuinely loved her daughter and she also knew that Spike had something he wanted to give to Dawn. "No time like the present," she whispered softly, but just loud enough for him to hear. He looked up in surprise and watched her walk away. Chuckling to himself, he shook his hand slightly and looked toward the stairs leading to Dawn's room.

She had gone upstairs a short time ago to change into her pajamas. Moving toward the stairs, he could feel his palms starting to sweat. He reached her door and tentatively knocked. "Come in," he heard her call from the other side of the door. Smiling, he opened the door, quietly entering the room, and closing the door over partly.

"Hey," he said softly, lingering by the door. Dawn was sitting in front of her mirror, brushing her hair. Her brown locks shimmered in the light of the candles she had lit next to her.

"Hey," she said, smiling back at him. Turning, she walked over to him and leaned up her on tiptoes, kissing his lips softly. "Well, I must be growing up if mom is letting me hang with a boy in my room alone," she said jokingly. Spike laughed, letting her pull him over to her bed. Sitting next to her, he fidgeted slightly. "You okay?" She asked concernedly.

"Yeah," Spike answered, smiling over at her. "I wanted to give you your Christmas present," he said reaching into the inside pocket of his leather duster. He pulled out a small, flat package. It was wrapped in old newspaper and seemed to be only an inch thick. "Sorry about the wrapping," Spike apologized. "I couldn't quite bring myself to buy the happy Santa wrapping paper."

Dawn laughed, accepting the gift as he handed it to her. "The wrapping doesn't matter," she said, gently tearing open the paper. Lying inside was a small golden band that reached up to a ruby fashioned after a heart and outlined in small diamonds.

"It's a promise ring," Spike explained, as Dawn gingerly picked the ring up, admiring it. "There are a lot of...obstacles, with us," Spike said, smiling slightly.

"Like you being a vampire," Dawn quietly joked, smiling over at him.

"Yeah, like that. And I know you're just a wee bit younger than me and all that," Spike said, eliciting a chuckle from her. "But I want you to know that I'm in this all the way, you know? I want to be with you forever, and that's actually an accurate statement with me considering what I am. So, I just want you to know, that when you're ready, and perhaps a bit older, such as out of high school, I want to live the rest of our lives together," Spike finished.

"I want that too," Dawn said sincerely, looking up at him and losing herself in his eyes. "Put it on me?" She asked. Spike gently picked up the ring and slid it onto her ring finger. "It's beautiful," she whispered, watching it catch the candle light.

"So are you," Spike whispered, brushing a lock of her hair away from her face. She flashed him a brilliant smile that would have warmed his heart, had it been beating. "Merry Christmas."


	55. Packages

Standing at the Edge of Tomorrow

Notes: Yes, Insane Sketchbook, I was commenting on your warped sense of reality...it's a good thing.

Previously:

"So, best Christmas ever?" Xander joked, lightening the mood as usual.

Kara laughed, pulling away from Anya, and discreetly wiping the tears away from eyes. "Yeah, most definitely."

...............

"Yeah, like that. And I know you're just a wee bit younger than me and all that," Spike said, eliciting a chuckle from her. "But I want you to know that I'm in this all the way, you know? I want to be with you forever, and that's actually an accurate statement with me considering what I am. So, I just want you to know, that when you're ready, and perhaps a bit older, such as out of high school, I want to live the rest of our lives together," Spike finished.

Chapter Fifty-Four:

"Are you ready to reveal yourself to them?" The First asked, absently filing its fingernails as it and Robson sat in a nearly empty apartment in the questionable section of town. The First was wearing Buffy's face, as usual. Robson had only seen it wearing two: Buffy and Faith. Out of those, it seemed to prefer the blonde slayer. Robson didn't delve too much into the psychological reason behind that.

"Yes," he answered, nodding. "They're getting lax, careless. Now is the perfect opportunity to move in," Robson replied.

"Excellent," The First said, standing and slapping him on the back. "You understand, of course, they think you've been killed by my demons. Therefore, you're gonna have to make it look like you just escaped from one hell of a hostage experience," The First said, circling around Robson as two uber-vamps stalked into the room, bent over, growling and hissing.

"I understand," Robson said, audibly gulping. Naturally, he had assumed that the First would want to rough him up to show that he hadn't been vacationing in the south of Florida the entire time he was missing. However, he could see he was going to be in for a lot more than a simple beating.

"Good. Let the games begin."

........................

"Hey," Kara said, as she slipped open Kennedy's hospital room door. Kennedy was still in a coma, but she knew her girlfriend could hear her. "It's Christmas Eve, you know," Kara said, glancing over at the clock on the wall. "Well, I guess technically it's Christmas Day."

It was a couple of minutes after midnight. Scooting a chair up to Kennedy's beside, Kara sat down and took the unconscious girl's hand in her own. "There was a party tonight at Buffy's. You missed out. I think Faith spiked the eggnog," Kara said, chuckling a bit. "Xander and Anya gave me this picture of me and the rest of my family at the Magic Box. It was really cool. Made the frame himself. I'll show it to you when you wake up."

Kara could hear the hands of the clock ticking on the wall. The hospital was practically deserted, most of the staff having off for the holiday. Buffy and Faith had walked her home, confiding in her how happy they were that they were all together, able to be a family again. Kara felt the same way. However, as soon as they had left, she grabbed her jacket and headed to the hospital. Though she had a great time at the party, she felt a bit guilty about not being with Kennedy. After all, the girl _was_ in a coma.

"So I'm gonna go to sleep. And if for some reason, you feel like coming into my dream, I wouldn't really be opposed to it," Kara said hopefully, giving Kennedy's hand a quick squeeze before leaning back in her chair. Propping her feet up on Kennedy's bed, she scooted down in her chair until she could lean her head against the back of it. Closing her eyes, she cleared her mind. Her breathing evened out and soon she was slipping into darkness.

Kara found herself standing by the river again. It was early morning this time, however, the sun having just risen over the horizon. There was an utter sense of peace and calm about the place. Kara breathed in deeply, smelling the scent of spring, fresh flowers, and trees. She could hear the water rolling over the rocks. Moving forward, she stepped out onto the smooth surface of the nearest stone and folded her arms across her chest. Closing her eyes, she let the breeze drift through her hair.

"No festive Santa hat?" Kennedy asked, appearing beside her. Kara opened her eyes and looked over. The sun caught Kennedy's eyes and lit them up in a million shades of brown.

"Doesn't really work on me. I'm not a jolly, fat, old, white haired man," Kara replied, eliciting a laugh from the girl standing next to her.

"Good thing too," Kennedy responded. Turning, she reached out and ran her hand through Kara's hair, relishing in the soft feel of it against her fingertips. "I miss you," she whispered, her voice nearly lost in the breeze and the sound of the water.

"I miss you too," Kara whispered back, turning her head slightly to capture Kennedy's lips. The world seemed to fade away around them and all that existed was that moment, with the two of them together and the river splashing playfully at their feet while the breeze danced through the leaves of the trees. Kara found herself getting lost in the feel of Kennedy's tongue massaging her own, in the feel of her hands tracing the revealed skin just below the hem of her shirt.

"Okay, you really need to wake up soon," Kara said as they broke their kiss to catch their breaths.

"Yeah? Might I get lucky?" Kennedy joked, smiling when Kara laughed slightly. Kara looked up at Kennedy and her face turned serious. Kennedy sucked in a breath, seeing the intensity in her girlfriend's eyes. Kara stepped closer, until their bodies were nearly melded together.

Running her hand up to Kennedy's neck, she pulled her girlfriend's face closer until their lips were inches apart. She locked her eyes with Kennedy's and snaked her tongue out to wet her lips. Then she smiled mischievously. "You're gonna get _really_ lucky," she whispered, her voice rough and husky from desire.

Kennedy moaned, feeling her legs turn to jelly at the sound of Kara's voice. She could feel Kara's breath on her neck as Kara tilted her head and latched her lips onto Kennedy's pulse point, gently nipping the skin with her teeth. A low moan escaped from deep inside Kennedy's throat and she reached up, tangling her hand in Kara's hair. Kennedy leaned her head back and closed her eyes, muttering to herself, "Okay, I really wanna wake up now."

....................

The sun was just peaking over the horizon as Faith made her way down the stairs to the kitchen. Yawning widely, she stretched and ran a hand through her sleep-tousled hair. The rest of the household had yet to wake up, but she couldn't seem to sleep. Some nagging concern was racing through her mind. She longed to be upstairs in bed with Buffy, watching her beautiful girlfriend sleep, but she couldn't seem to lay still. Instead, she put on a pot of coffee and leaned back against the kitchen counter, sighing audibly.

Turning, she rested her hands against the counter top and gazed out of the window. She closed her eyes briefly. She could hear the coffee dripping down into the pot, the sounds of the house settling around her, the gentle sway of the Christmas ornaments on the tree in the living room, and a strange scratching sound that was coming from the front door. Her eyes snapped open and she slowly turned, creeping out into the foyer. When she reached the door, she quietly unlocked it, grasping the doorknob firmly with her hand. Then she yanked it open.

She looked outside, only to find nothing there. She went to step forward, but her foot landed on something soft. Looking down, she saw she was standing on someone's hand. She audibly gasped and stepped back. Lying on the front porch was a bleeding and broken man, seemingly unconscious. Kneeling down beside him, Faith gently turned his head to get a look at his face. "Oh shit," she muttered when she saw him. It was Robson.


	56. Something isn't right

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Faith looked outside, only to find nothing there. She went to step forward, but her foot landed on something soft. Looking down, she saw she was standing on someone's hand. She audibly gasped and stepped back. Lying on the front porch was a bleeding and broken man, seemingly unconscious. Kneeling down beside him, Faith gently turned his head to get a look at his face. "Oh shit," she muttered when she saw him. It was Robson.

Chapter Fifty-Five:

"Kara?" Giles said as he kneeled down beside the sleeping slayer and gently shook her shoulder. "Wake up," he whispered gently, smiling down at her. Kara stirred, turned her head, and opened her eyes.

"Hey," she said, sitting up in her chair and rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"

"A little after eight in the morning," Giles answered, standing. Kara followed suit, stretching her stiff legs.

"Why'd you wake me up then?" She grumbled, yawning.

"Faith found Robson on her doorstep this morning," Giles replied. Kara looked up at him in surprise.

"Really? Was he dead?" Kara asked.

"No, he's very much so alive. We brought him to the hospital an hour or so ago. The doctors think they'll be able to release him by tomorrow morning," Giles responded.

Kara nodded. Turning back to Kennedy, she leaned down and kissed her girlfriend's forehead. "I'll be back soon," she whispered, smiling down at her and gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "So they didn't rough him up too bad then?"

"Doesn't appear so. Granted, he won't be winning any beauty contests anytime soon. But he's extraordinarily lucky," Giles said as he and Kara slipped out of Kennedy's room. The hospital was fairly quiet, it being Christmas day. Together, they walked down the hallway toward the elevators.

"Has he said anything?" Kara asked, hitting the down button. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. They stepped inside and the doors slid closed silently.

"No, he's been unconscious," Giles answered. "Hopefully he'll be able to tell us a little more about the First's operation when he wakes up."

"Yeah, that'd be nice," Kara said. The elevator settled to a halt and the doors slid open. Stepping out, Giles led her down another hallway. She could see several members of the Scooby Gang gathered outside one of the rooms. "We've been in this hospital a lot recently," Kara commented.

"More than I like," Giles agreed.

"Hey," Faith said, nodding at them as they approached. "The doctors are done with him."

"He's still unconscious though," Buffy said, yawning widely. Kara smiled over at her parents. Buffy was leaning against Faith, her eyes drifting closed every once in a while. Faith seemed wide-awake though and would nudge Buffy whenever she started to fall asleep. Dawn and Joyce were sitting next to them, both women practically dead to the world. None of the others had shown up yet. They were most likely still asleep.

"They said someone can go in and see him," Faith said. "But we figured we'd wait for you Giles."

"Yes, I would like to see him first," Giles said, smiling at them kindly before turning and entering the room.

"How's Ken?" Buffy asked, sitting up a little in her chair as Kara sat across from them.

"No change," Kara said, leaning back and sighing, rubbing her face with her hands.

"I'm sure she'll wake up soon," Faith said reassuringly.

"Yeah? You didn't wake up for eight months," Kara pointed out. She noticed Buffy shift a little in her seat and look down at the ground.

"I remember," Faith said lowly, looking over at Buffy. Leaning over, she reached up and tangled her fingers in Buffy's hair. "It's okay, B," she whispered.

Buffy looked over at her and smiled sadly. "I know. I just feel bad about all that."

"Don't," Faith said sternly. "If you hadn't done that shit, we wouldn't be here today, would we?" Faith pointed out before leaning in and capturing Buffy's lips in a quick kiss.

"How sweet," Kara muttered amusedly. Faith and Buffy pulled away and glared over at her.

"Shut up," they said in unison.

.......................

Several hours later, Xander and Anya arrived to check in on Robson. Shortly after, they left to go open up the Magic Box. Though it was Christmas day, Anya insisted on opening up. All of the other stores in town were closed for the holiday, thereby, the Magic Box wouldn't have any competition. Anya thought it would be like shooting fish in a barrel. Customers would have no choice but to come and spend their money there. Xander had his doubts, but he didn't say anything, as he didn't want to be sleeping on the couch that night. The Scooby Gang was going to meet up later for dinner at Buffy's house, as usual, considering Joyce was the only one who could actually cook well.

Willow and Tara had yet to arrive. They phoned the hospital after receiving Giles' message, but wanted to spend the day out. They agreed to come later in the afternoon. Though Spike was concerned, he didn't want to venture going out during the day for someone he didn't know particularly well. Dawn and Joyce had left to start preparing dinner, leaving Buffy, Faith, Kara, and Giles. Faith and Buffy had just gone down to the cafeteria and Kara was making her mind up about whether to return to Kennedy's room when Giles burst out of Robson's hospital room.

"He's awake," Giles said excitedly before disappearing back in the room. Kara jumped up and followed him.

"How're you feeling?" She asked as she walked up to Robson's beside. The man looked terrible, but most of his wounds were superficial.

"Been better," Robson croaked out, smiling a little.

"What happened?" Giles asked, pulling up chairs for Kara and himself.

"I was trying to track down the potentials I mentioned to you," Robson said to Giles, coughing a bit as he spoke. "The First's bringers caught me."

"You've been with them this whole time?"

"Yeah. They've been traveling around, killing any potentials they could find. When you all did that spell though, they stopped," Robson replied.

"How do you know about the spell?" Kara asked in surprise. Robson smiled.

"They asked me about it. The bringers tortured me for information. When they found the potentials were fighting back with the strength of slayers, they freaked. Wanted to know what happened. I guess they thought I did it. Anyway, that's how I found out," Robson answered.

"They brought you back here?" Giles asked.

"Yeah, not too long ago. Something happened a couple of days ago that shook things up though. The guards were pulled off me and I managed to escape," Robson said.

"Probably the death of Caleb," Giles theorized "The First wasn't expecting that. I imagined it caused a great deal of turmoil."

"Who was Caleb?" Robson asked, trying his best to look confused.

"One of the First's men. Buffy and Faith beheaded him," Kara answered, chuckling a bit at the memory. Giles smiled over at her, shaking his head.

"Rest up," Giles said. "The doctors believe you'll be well enough for release tomorrow. Prove them right," he said, pulling himself to his feet.

"Yeah, we'll be right outside if you need anything," Kara said, following Giles out of the room.

"I can't imagine what that man went through," Giles said, once they had exited the hospital room and were out of earshot.

"I know," Kara said, shuddering slightly. "I'm surprised they didn't kill him."

"So am I," Giles replied. "They must have assumed he knew more than he did."

.........................

The sun was starting to sink in the sky when Willow and Tara arrived at the hospital with a bouquet of flowers to brighten up Robson's hospital room. Giles and Kara were still there. Buffy and Faith had left not long ago. "How's he doing?" Willow asked as they approached.

"He'll be fine," Kara said, smiling at the witches.

"We brought flowers," Tara said. "Should I put them in his room?"

"I imagine he'd appreciate that," Giles said, smiling at the gesture. Tara nodded and quietly entered Robson's room so as not to wake him. She sat the flowers on the windowsill and turned, looking over at the sleeping man. Tara gasped a little when she saw him, her eyes turning dark.

"Something's not right here," she muttered to herself. "Not at all."


	57. Secrets and Lies

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Notes: Thanks ever so much for the reviews. Keep 'em coming.

Previously:

"I imagine he'd appreciate that," Giles said, smiling at the gesture. Tara nodded and quietly entered Robson's room so as not to wake him. She sat the flowers on the windowsill and turned, looking over at the sleeping man. Tara gasped a little when she saw him, her eyes turning dark.

"Something's not right here," she muttered to herself. "Not at all."

Chapter Fifty-Six:

"Hey," Robson said, limping out of Buffy's kitchen door.

"Here, let me help you," Kara said, jumping up from her seat on the stairs.

"Thanks," Robson said gratefully, as Kara helped him take a seat next to her. He propped his cane up against the house and smiled.

"How're you feeling?" Kara asked, looking over at him and squinting slightly in the sun.

"Well, I've been better," Robson said honestly. "But I'm just glad to be alive."

Kara smiled and shifted her attention back to the slayers training in the backyard. Buffy and Faith were leading the girls in a series of stretching exercises before they began sparring. "Girls are looking good," Robson commented. "They've been training them well."

"Yeah. The way we see it, the First has more demons than we do slayers. We need our girls as fit as they can be," Kara said. She sighed internally, wishing she was watching Kennedy standing with the rest of the girls, stretching in the morning sun. Instead, her girlfriend was lying in a hospital bed trying to fight her way out of her subconscious.

"Good plan," Robson said approvingly. "Got anything else?"

"What do you mean?" Kara asked, looking over at him.

"Well, I hate to break it to ya, but we're gonna need a lot more than muscle to beat the First," Robson said.

Kara looked at him for a few moments before nodding. "Yeah, I know."

"Well, if you know, you must have some other plan," Robson prodded.

Kara looked away. She hadn't told anyone yet of the plan the Powers that Be set into motion. Though she was reluctant to tell Robson, she felt as if she owed the man something, after all that the First had done to him.

"Well," –

"Kara?" Tara said, coming up to them and interrupting Kara before she could speak.

"Yeah?" Kara asked, shifting her attention to Tara. "What's up?"

"Can I talk to you inside for a minute?" Tara asked, nervously. Kara looked up at her with worry shining in her eyes for a moment before nodding.

"Sure," Kara said as Tara walked into the kitchen. "I'll be back," she said to Robson. Robson nodded and went back to watching the slayers.

"So what's going on?" Kara asked, closing the kitchen door behind them.

"Upstairs," Tara instructed, turning and walking out of the kitchen. Kara watched her for a moment before following after her. Walking up the stairs, she caught up to Tara outside of Buffy and Faith's room. Tara quickly opened the door and motioned for Kara to enter.

"What's going on?" Kara asked suspiciously as she entered the room. "Hey Will," she said, noticing Willow standing by the window. Lying on the bed was a computer and some other expensive looking electronics.

"We need to talk about Robson," Willow said, turning away from the window.

"He's not who he says he is," Tara said, closing the bedroom door behind them.

"What are you talking about?" Kara asked, feeling slightly cornered.

"When I went into his hospital room, I noticed something. Willow noticed it too when we brought him back here a week ago. His aura's wrong," Tara said slowly. Kara looked over at her, studying her face intently.

"What was wrong with it?" She finally said.

"It was black," Willow answered, sitting on Buffy's bed. "We think he's working with the First."

"Wait, after what the First did to him. No way," Kara said, shaking her head.

"Black means evil," Tara said. "His aura was totally black. He's evil through and through."

"Okay," Kara said, sitting down next to Buffy. "I imagine all this stuff," she said, motioning to the electronics, "is a part of some plan to prove what you're saying?"

"Yeah," Willow said. "Look, we know that there's more to your plan than sending the slayers down into the Hellmouth."

"That would be mass suicide," Tara said.

"And Robson knows that too," Willow pointed out.

"He wanted to know what my plan was," Kara said. "He asked me about it a couple of minutes ago."

"So we need to come up with a fake plan," Tara said.

"I've got video cameras we can set up to try to catch him in the act. We can watch the feed from my computer," Willow said, excitedly.

Kara smiled, instantly knowing what to do. "Anya's got some amulets at the Magic Shop, right? Purely decorative, but they look real."

"Yeah, why?" Willow asked.

"In my world, Angel brought an amulet to Sunnydale to be wielded by a champion. Spike wore it and when you all were fighting the final battle, it exploded in sunlight and destroyed the town and the Hellmouth," Kara explained.

"So why don't we have the amulet now?" Tara asked.

"Well, in my world, the First came a year later," Kara said. "So the amulet is still floating out in space somewhere."

"But Robson doesn't know any of this. If you tell him that we have this amulet, which we're gonna use to defeat the First, he'll want it," Willow said, finally understanding.

"Exactly. So, we tell him that Buffy and Faith are storing the amulet in this room. We set up the cameras and we wait," Kara said. "And if you're right, than we'll catch him in the act."

"Sounds like a plan," Willow said.

"Good, set up the cameras, I'll get the amulet. Then I'll tell Robson about it after dinner tonight," Kara said, rising to her feet.

"Come back to the dorm afterwards and we'll see what happens," Willow said. "If he is working for the First, what're we gonna do?"

Kara sighed and absently ran a hand through her long, dark hair. "We'll figure that out when we get to it."

...............................

"Nice night," Kara commented as she stepped out onto the front porch. Robson was leaning against the rails, looking up at the stars.

"Yeah, it is," he said, smiling back at her.

"Earlier today, you wanted to know about my plan to defeat the First," Kara began.

"Yeah, listen, I shouldn't have asked. I'm sure it's on a need to know basis," Robson said apologetically.

"It's okay. I want you to know. You deserve it after what the First did to you," Kara said, studying his eyes. She couldn't see any malice in them.

"I appreciate it," Robson said as Kara leaned on the porch railing beside him.

"We have this amulet. It's supposed to be worn by a champion. We think that's Spike. When Spike puts it on, it'll destroy the Hellmouth and everything inside of it," Kara explained. She shoved her hands in the pockets of her jacket, her palms sweaty. She was incredibly nervous. Part of her didn't want to believe what Willow and Tara were suggesting, but the rest of her trusted the two witches more than she could ever trust Robson.

"Won't that destroy the person wearing it?" Robson asked, looking over at her in concern. She thought for a moment. If Robson was working for the First, he was one hell of an actor.

"Spike's aware. He hasn't told Dawn about it yet, so don't say anything. He knows what he has to do. In the end, she may not understand, but she'll be alive. We'll all be alive. Anyway, Buffy and Faith have it upstairs in their weapons chest for protection," Kara added nonchalantly. Robson looked over at her quickly, but looked away. "Hey, listen, would you tell the others I had to go? I want to get back to Kennedy," Kara said, smiling over at him.

Robson smiled back warmly and nodded. "Sure. I hope she's doing better," he called out after her as Kara walked away.

Ten minutes later, Kara was standing outside Willow and Tara's dorm room door. She swiftly knocked and Tara pulled the door open, motioning for her to enter.

"You set up the cameras?" Kara asked, shrugging off her jacket.

"Yeah, you drop the hint?" Willow asked, fiddling with her computer. "Okay, I've got the feed up."

Kara and Tara both moved over to the bed and sat on opposite sides of Willow. "He won't go after it now. Buffy and Faith are still in the house," Kara said. "They'll be leaving for patrol in like an hour or so."

Joyce agreed to let Robson stay in her home after his release from the hospital, until Jack could clear out some room for him across the street. However, Joyce was in Los Angeles on business for the gallery. With Dawn out for the night with Spike and Buffy and Faith leaving for patrol within the hour, Robson would have the house to himself.

Willow, Tara, and Kara had been sitting on the bed for a half hour waiting. Thus far, no one had entered the room. Finally, the door flew open. "Ooh, action," Willow said, perking up. Tara and Kara both leaned forward to get a better view.

"Oh, it's only Buffy and Faith," Tara said disappointedly.

"What are they doing?" Kara asked, peering into the screen.

"Uh, I think they're making out," Willow said, noticing hands roving.

"Wait, they're not...are they getting naked?" Kara asked, abruptly leaning back.

"I really think they are," Tara said, smirking slightly.

"Good God, my parents are having sex!" Kara said, jumping off the bed, her face a portrait of disgust. "I can't believe I just saw that."

"That's so much more than I ever wanted to see of my best friend," Willow muttered, shutting her laptop. "We'll give them fifteen minutes."

"Thirty, make it thirty," Kara said, pacing back and forth. "No need to catch the end of the show."

"It could have been worse," Willow offered.

"How could it have been worse?" Kara asked.

"We could have caught them in the middle," Tara said.

Kara rolled her eyes, plopped down in a desk chair, and covered her face with her hands. "I'm scarred for life."


	58. Sex, Lies, and a Videotape

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

"Come back to the dorm afterwards and we'll see what happens," Willow said. "If Robson is working for the First, what're we gonna do?"

Kara sighed and absently ran a hand through her long, dark hair. "We'll figure that out when we get to it."

Chapter Fifty-Seven:

"Well?" Kara asked, leaning up on her elbow and looking over at Willow. Willow lifted the lid of the laptop and grimaced.

"Nope," she said, slamming the laptop lid back down.

"I think I finally understand that whole 'slayer stamina' thing," Tara muttered from her place leaning against the pillows on the bed. "They've been goin' at it for like two hours."

Kara groaned and slammed her head back down on the desk. "Please never say the words 'goin' at it' in relation to my parents ever again," she said irritably. Tara smiled.

"At this rate, Robson's never going to get a chance to steal the amulet," Willow grumbled, leaning back next to Tara.

"They still have to patrol," Kara said, quickly rising to her feet. "I'm gonna go grab some coffee. Anyone want?"

Willow and Tara both shook their heads. Shrugging on her jacket, Kara opened the dorm room door and stepped out into the hallway. Closing the door behind her, she sighed. She could hear the sounds of a party going on down the hall. Music was pumping through the walls, some dance song. She could imagine the students gathered in the room, drinking beer and having fun. She chuckled mirthlessly, realizing at that moment, that she had never done anything like that. Her entire life had been devoted to quelling the forces of darkness, or at least hiding from them.

Turning from the sounds of normalcy, she shoved her hands in her pockets and began walking. Her footsteps echoed in the stairwell as she walked down. Opening the outside door, the cold air hit her in the face, momentarily stopping her. Wrapping her coat around her body, she stepped out into the night. A patch of clouds covered the moon and it seemed darker than usual. She smiled, remembering when she was little, and had been afraid of the dark. Like most children, she was terrified of all of the things that went bump in the night. The only difference between her and the other children, however, was that she knew those things were actually real.

She felt so safe with her mothers, knowing that their jobs, their destinies, were to destroy all those evil things that terrified her. After they died, her fear only increased. There wasn't anyone to keep her safe. She understood that the others tried, but no one made her feel like Buffy and Faith had, until Spike took her in. Spike had a silent strength that transferred over into everything he did, whether it was fighting a demon or smoking a cigarette on the porch steps.

Kara was ripped from her musings by a scream that pierced through the night. Running toward the sound, she saw a young woman being attacked. Grabbing her attacker by the collar, she threw him back several feet. "You okay?" Kara asked the woman, who nodded fearfully. "Go home." The woman complied, running off toward the dorms.

"What the hell is your problem?" The attacker said, getting to his feet. He wiped off his jeans and stared at her incredulously.

"My problem?" Kara asked, about to whip out her stake. But something stopped her. She stared at the man for a moment before her mouth dropped open in shock. "You're human...," she muttered to herself.

"Of course I'm human. Look, I was just trying to scare her. You didn't have to attack me," the guy muttered.

"Attack you? You were attacking her," Kara said, feeling anger swell up in her heart. She could understand demons attacking humans. Demons didn't have souls or consciences. Their sole purpose was to thrive on the misery and suffering of humanity. But Kara could never understand why a human being would attack another human being without a legitimate reason. It was almost as if people were slaves to their every whim and desire, unable to control their basest impulses.

"Whatever," the guy said, turning and walking away. Kara watched him for a moment before walking up behind him. Grabbing him by the back of the head, she slammed his face down onto the concrete of the sidewalk.

"Listen to me very carefully," she said lowly, her voice threatening. "There is enough evil in this world without stupid people like you adding to it. If I ever see you again, I'll kill you," she growled. Rising to her feet, she watched him scramble away from her and run. She realized that she probably shouldn't have done that, but a piece of what made Faith so dangerous lived in her heart as well, that knowledge of evil and the reluctant acceptance of it. Turning, she continued walking toward the cafeteria.

When she arrived back at the dorm room, Willow and Tara were having a thumb war. "You guys must really be bored," Kara muttered, closing the door behind her. The witches smiled up at her sheepishly. "Have you checked on them recently?"

"Nope, wanted to wait for you to get back," Willow said, flipping up the laptop lid again. "Ooh, progress," she said excitedly. "They are now fully clothed."

Kara internally breathed a sigh of relief. "About damn time," she muttered, walking over to the bed. She took a sip of her coffee, relishing in its warmth as it slid down her throat. She paused for a moment, temporarily lost in a memory. She could clearly remember sitting around the kitchen table with Spike and Callum late one night, drinking whiskey and playing cards. She had thought the same thing then, the warmth of the whiskey on her throat making her smile.

"Hey, you okay?" Tara asked, looking over at her in concern and touching her arm.

"What?" Kara asked, snapping out of her daze. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said.

"You kinda spaced on us there," Willow said, concern evident in her eyes as well.

"Long night," Kara replied, turning her attention back to the screen. Buffy and Faith were stocking up on weapons, shoving stakes up the sleeves of their coats. Faith took out a knife and slipped it into one of her boots. Then they turned the lights off in the room and stepped out.

The light from the hallway and the streetlamp outside the window illuminated the room just enough for them to see. Willow, Tara, and Kara sat tensely on the bed, waiting with baited breath for something to happen. After about ten minutes, they saw a figure enter the room. They immediately recognized the figure as Robson when a glimmer of light fell on his face. "He's faking the limp," Kara said, immediately noticing that Robson was walking perfectly fine, without the aid of a cane. "That little bastard."

"Told ya so," Tara said jokingly, smiling over at Kara. Her levity lightened the mood in the room and Willow looked over at her in appreciated. They both knew Kara wasn't going to take Robson's betrayal well.

Robson looked around the room for a moment before spotting the weapons chest. Lifting the lid, he rummaged around for a moment. Then he lifted out the first layer, finding the hidden bottom. They saw him pause for a moment, apparently eying the amulet appreciatively. He lifted it up and slipped it into his pocket. Then, he removed another amulet from his other pocket. Closing his eyes, he put his hand over the amulet and whispered some words Kara couldn't understand.

"He's doing a glamour," Willow explained as they watched the second amulet transform into the first. "Making that amulet look like ours, so we won't notice the difference."

Kara nodded, her eyes fixed on the screen. Robson cleaned up and closed the lid of the weapons chest, swiftly standing. His eyes shifted around the room for a moment, unknowingly landing on the camera. Kara could see nothing of the kindness in his gaze that she had seen earlier. Then he slipped out of the room.

Leaning back, Kara sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Well, shit," she muttered.

Willow closed the laptop and set it on the ground. "What do we do now?"

Kara closed her eyes, remembering the fear she had felt coming off the guy she threatened earlier. It had felt amazing to have that kind of control over someone else. Opening her eyes, she said grimly, "I'll take care of it."


	59. Hell

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Previously:

Kara closed her eyes, remembering the fear she had felt coming off the guy she threatened earlier. It had felt amazing to have that kind of control over someone else. Opening her eyes, she said grimly, "I'll take care of it."

Chapter Fifty-Eight:

"What did it take?" Kara asked, walking into the room. She folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the doorframe. The light from the dying sun slanted in through the front window and illuminated the room in dappled shades of crimson. Robson looked up from the book he was reading. The light fell across his face, highlighting his hair, and making his eyes sparkle.

The girls were in the backyard with Buffy and Faith, training as usual. Joyce was in the kitchen preparing dinner with Dawn and Spike. Giles and Jack were in the dining room with Willow and Tara, updating the Council's computer files. The house was quiet and it seemed to Kara as if the world had stopped moving. "What do you mean?" Robson asked, setting his book down on the coffee table.

"Did you settle for thirty pieces of silver?" Kara asked, stalking into the room. Leaning across the coffee table, she stared him in the eyes. The last rays of the sun pierced her vision and her eyes lit up in red. "Or did it give you more?"

Robson held her gaze, raising his chin slightly in defiance. "You don't understand," he said.

"I'm sure I don't. Explain it to me," Kara ground out between clenched teeth, sitting across from him.

"You're never going to defeat the First. It's folly. The only hope is to join him," Robson explained.

"You lost hope," Kara commented lowly. Robson nodded.

"Yes. I lost it a long time ago. Long before any of this happened. This world is so full of violence and despair. How long do you think it will take for humans to destroy themselves, even if you vanquish every demon on the earth? As we speak, people are killing children for sport, for politics, for religion. They rape women to show their dominance. They execute anyone who poses a threat, anyone who's different. Why? Because the human race is weak. And eventually, it will burn itself out," Robson said grimly. "You can't tell me you haven't looked at this world and lost all hope in it," Robson finished, leaning forward slightly. Kara watched him intently.

She smiled slowly, her eyes dancing. "Of course I've lost hope in the world. Everyone has," she answered. Robson sat back triumphantly. "The only difference between you and me is that the world gave my hope back."

Robson frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I sat on the edge of the world with nothing but misery in my heart and I fell. When I landed, the world caught me again," Kara said. "Can't you see the beauty there is out there?" Kara asked, motioning out of the front window. "There's beauty in everything, Robson. From the weeds growing up through the cracks in the sidewalk, to the flowers growing out of mud in the landfill, to the smile a stranger gives you walking down the street. All these things may seem so small and insignificant, but they give me hope when I can't give it to myself."

"You're a fool," Robson spat. "Flowers and weeds and the kindness of strangers won't save this world."

"Maybe not," Kara agreed. "But they won't destroy it either." Pausing, Kara smiled and reached into the pocket of her jacket. She pulled out an object and sat it on the table. Then she leaned back and watched Robson. "I'm giving you a choice, Robson," she said slowly. "If you've lost all hope...then use that," she said, motioning to the gun on the table. "Because if you don't, I will."

Rising to her feet, she threw him a last glance before walking out of the living room. She walked into the foyer and pulled open the front door, stepped out, and closed the door behind her. She watched as the sun slipped below the line of trees dotting the street and disappeared from view. Shoving her hands in her pocket, she began walking down the street. Her feet carried her as if of their own will, but she knew where they were heading. Dimly, she heard a gun shot ring out into the night. She knew the house would be in chaos and everyone would have questions. Willow and Tara would have an idea of what happened, but Kara thought it best if no one else knew about Robson's betrayal.

She understood his reasons far better than she was willing to admit. Often, the fight against evil seemed like a pointless venture. For centuries, slayers fought and died. For what? Demons continued to live and thrive and slayers continued to rise and fall like the waves in the sea. Neither side advanced any closer to victory and Kara never imagined they would. She couldn't imagine a world without demons. Nor could she imagine a world without slayers. But she lived for that imaginary day when she could step out at night and not be afraid of what might be lurking the shadows behind her. Though perhaps Robson was right. Maybe even after the demons were gone, man would tear itself asunder.

Was it human nature to fight and struggle, to hate and bring suffering down upon the world? It seemed that throughout history, one war would end only for another to begin. Kara sighed deeply, watching as the high school loomed closer in front of her. After the last bombing, construction crews had gone in and fixed the place up. Kara smiled grimly. Perhaps that was what kept the human race alive. Even after all of the chaos and destruction that plagued the earth, man always rebuilt. In the face of overwhelming odds, man struggled on and survived the darkness.

Kara kicked open the front doors. It was a Saturday and the school was dark inside and out. "Anybody home?" She called out. Almost instantly, two bringers appeared a couple of yards down the hall. "I want to see it," Kara said loudly. The bringers looked at each other, despite their lack of eyes, and turned back to Kara. Then they nodded. Taking off down the hall, they beckoned for her to follow.

Kara obliged and they came to a staircase leading to the basement. One of the bringers opened the door and Kara moved forward. She descended the stairs and heard the door slam shut behind her. Her feet touched the concrete floor of the basement and she heard a voice. "You wanted to see me?" The First said, stepping out of the shadows in front of her.

"Yeah," Kara said, watching it approach. It was wearing Callum's face again. "Robson's dead," she announced, watching its eyes briefly widen in surprise.

"You killed him?" The First asked, covering its momentary lack of discretion with a façade of nonchalance.

"No, he killed himself. Though, I may have provided him with the necessary implement and incentive to do so," Kara replied.

"But his blood is still on your hands," the First pointed out.

"Guess I'll see you in Hell then," Kara retorted.

"Would you like to?"

"Like to what?" Kara asked, watching as the First paced back and forth in front of her.

"See Hell," the First replied. "I can show it to you."

Kara hesitated. "Show me," she finally said. The First motioned for her to follow. They passed through a labyrinth of hallways and descended on a path that spiraled down into the very mouth of Hell. Finally, they stopped at a balcony constructed of rock. Stepping up to the railing, Kara looked down on the pit of Hell. She sucked in a breath, both terrified and entranced by the sight.

"Beautiful isn't it?" The First said, coming up behind her.

"Something like that," Kara responded. She gazed down at the pit of demons, writhing and crawling over each other like a unified mass sweating, putrid life.

"I could use a new second in command, you know," the First pointed out. Kara looked over at it.

"No," she said sternly.

"This could all be yours," the First said, leaning in and whispering in her ear. "I could save her."

"Who?" Kara asked, feeling the hot breath of the First on her neck. She had to remind herself that it wasn't actually Callum standing next to her.

"Kennedy," the First breathed, watching Kara tense as it said her name. "She's so lost, so trapped. She'll never find her way out on her own. I can save her."

Kara closed her eyes and tried to block out the sounds of the demons clamoring below. It was impossible. She felt overwhelmed by it, as if the demons were clawing into her skin and fighting for control of her heart. "No," Kara said again.

"I'll kill them all, one by one. All of the people you love. I'll make you watch them all die, just like you did in your world. Then I'll kill you."

Kara's eyes flashed open and she looked over at the First, her eyes turning amber. "I will never stand beside you," she said sternly.

"Really?" The First said. "Then what are you doing right now?" Turning Kara fled, ascending through the tunnels and hallways out of the school, until the chill night air smacked her in the face. She paused, panting, doubled over in front of the high school. She could still hear the demons clamoring in her mind and smell the foul odor of Hell tainting her nostrils. The she ran, chasing away the memories and fleeing from the chill that had settled in her soul.


	60. Eye of the Storm

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow:

Notes: Well, folks, we are nearing the end. Only a couple more chapters to go. But never fear, I have a sequel lined up and waiting, which I hope you will enjoy. Thanks for the reviews and keep 'em coming. Here's the next chapter.

Previously:

"I'm giving you a choice, Robson," Kara said slowly. "If you've lost all hope...then use that," she said, motioning to the gun on the table. "Because if you don't, I will."

Chapter Fifty-Nine:

Kara could practically feel the tension in the room. The air was thick and stifling, heavy with heat. The Scooby Gang and several of the new slayers were gathered in Buffy's living room. With the help of Willow's technical expertise, they were transmitting the meeting to every member of the new Council via a computer video file. While Kara was gone, Buffy, Faith, Jack, and Giles had met and decided that on the following evening they would launch their attack against the First. Everyone was full of nervous energy, some unable to contain themselves with excitement, some dreading the loss and pain the next night could bring. Not everyone would be coming home.

In a private broadcast to upper Council officials, Jack and Giles had explained the situation regarding Robson and his betrayal, as revealed to them by Willow and Tara in Kara's absence. They knew that if the First could infiltrate their inner circle, they had waited too long. The time for offensive action had come. "Tomorrow night, we will be launching an aggressive, offensive campaign against the First," Giles said, formally addressing the group of people gathered before him, as well as the camera directly in front of him. "All slayers and those capable to fight are to meet at the Sunnydale High School at dusk. Bring whatever weapons and materials you may require. We have limited supplies and will not be able to uniform everyone," Giles said, stepping to the side as Buffy stepped forward to explain their mode of attack.

"We're going to attack the First at its strongest point – the Hellmouth. We'll most likely be outnumbered significantly, but this is not the first apocalypse we've faced and it won't be the last. The First's demons cannot breach the outer doors of the high school. We'll have three teams. The first team will descend into the Hellmouth itself. Kara and I will be leading this team. The second team will guard the first floor hallway of the school to ensure that no one escapes. Faith and Spike will lead this team. The third and final team will be stationed outside the high school in case any demons do happen to escape. Willow and Tara will lead this team. Any questions?" Buffy asked, glancing around the room.

"Alright. You know to which team you belong. Everyone rest up. Tomorrow is going to be very long and very demanding. Goodnight," Giles said, stepping back in front of the camera. Willow cut the feed and her laptop screen went black.

"That was good," she said, smiling over at Giles. She knew how nervous he was about addressing the entirety of the Council.

"Thanks," he said, smiling back. "Now, everyone follow my advice and go get some rest. Buffy and Faith will lead the girls in a brief training session tomorrow, but after that, the rest of our energies must be devoted to gathering weapons and preparing for the battle."

The group collectively stood and dispersed, heading home. Kara lingered behind, unsure of where to go. "You should go see her," Spike said, coming up behind her. "Never know. Might be your last chance."

Kara looked back at him and smiled. "Very much so the optimist I see."

"Bloody hell," Spike muttered, a grin lighting up his face. "I've lived far too long to be an optimist."

"Yeah, me too," Kara quietly said.

"You staying here?" Buffy asked, walking up to them.

"I am," Spike said, smiling at the pointed glare Buffy shot him.

"Yes, but you will be sleeping on the couch, far, far away from my innocent, young, jailbait sister," she pointed out. Spike nodded.

"Absolutely," he said. Though he and Buffy had slowly become friends, he knew not to push the delicate bounds of their relationship.

"I'm gonna go see Kennedy," Kara said. "I'll be back before you leave."

"Okay, be careful," Buffy said as Kara flashed her a smile and left the house.

"She'll be alright," Spike commented, watching her go. "She's a strong one. No doubt about that."

"Yeah," Buffy said, her eyes distant. "Too strong I think."

.......................................

"I can't sleep," Tara said, rolling over and facing Willow. They had gone back to their dorm, both feeling exhausted from the stress of the day, but neither able to surrender to unconsciousness.

"Neither can I," Willow replied, facing Tara as well. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know," Tara responded. "I feel like I'm going to start bouncing off the walls."

"We need to find a way to relax," Willow murmured, sitting up in bed. "I know!" She said suddenly and smiled over at Tara.

"What?"

"What always relaxes us?" Willow asked.

"Doing spells," Tara instantly replied.

"Exactly. Come on," Willow said, grabbing Tara's hand and pulling her onto their dorm room floor. They quickly lit some candles and Willow grabbed a rose from a vase on her desk. "Let's try turning it to ice," she said, as she and Tara joined hands.

They closed their eyes and concentrated, immediately feeling their nervous energy dissipate. Their minds wandered into a meditative state of mystical energy and the rose began to freeze. Opening her eyes, Willow looked down and saw ice spreading up from the base of the stem, reaching out and grazing the petals. Tara opened her eyes and watched as the ice crept up the petals of the flower and frosted them white. The two witches smiled and looked up at each other. "Let's thaw this baby out."

..............................

Spike and Dawn lay on Dawn's bed, both staring out the window at the moon. They could see it shimmering through the bare limbs of the trees. It looked cold outside, silent and still. It was hard to imagine that on the following evening, Hell would be breaking loose. Now that they were alone, everything seemed so peaceful and calm. It was like they were cradled in the eye of the storm.

"Remember, if all else fails, a good stab through the throat'll knock down whatever ails ya," Spike said, imparting his battle wisdom on his girlfriend. Dawn was going to be in the third team, outside of the school with Willow and Tara. She didn't have as much experience fighting demons as the others. Though she had trained frequently with Buffy and Faith, she hadn't gone patrolling with them as much as she would have liked. She was feeling a bit unprepared for the battle.

"And the best trick I've found is letting everyone else jump into the fray first. That way, by the time you join the fight, the demons'll already be weakened and it'll be like shooting fish in a bleeding barrel," Spike said. He wasn't particularly happy with Buffy's decision to allow Dawn to fight, though he was pleased that the slayer had put her sister in the third party instead of the second. He would never tell Dawn he didn't want her to fight, however, because he knew that would only motivate her to prove him wrong.

"Got it. I'll be fine," Dawn said, looking up at Spike and smiling. "Besides, I doubt we'll even see any action. It's you I'm worried about."

"What're you worrying about me for, Bit? I'm William the Bloody. I can take care of myself. Those little bastards won't know the sky from the ground by the time I'm done with them," Spike said confidently, mostly to quell Dawn's fears. He had to admit, he was a bit nervous about the battle.

"Good," she said, resting her head on Spike's chest. "Do me a favor?" She said, looking up at him again.

"What?"

"Don't let anything happen to Faith. It would kill Buffy."

.................................

"When all this is done, can we move somewhere less with the Hellmouth and more with the quiet suburban bliss?" Anya whined as she and Xander drove back to their apartment in Xander's company truck.

Xander smiled slightly. "No, where the Scoobies go, we go. And if the Scoobies stay here, we stay here."

"Well, at least the Council's giving us health and dental benefits," Anya said resignedly. "It's about damn time we get something out of all this."

"You mean besides that warm and fuzzy feeling you get knowing you've saved the world and everyone in?" Xander said jokingly.

"Wait, there's a warm, fuzzy feeling? Why don't I get that?" Anya asked, looking over at Xander. He sighed.

"You remember how we talked about buying a house some day soon?" Xander asked, diverting the topic. Anya nodded.

"Well, with the salaries the Council started paying us for all of our contributions to the fight against evil, the money I get from the construction job, the money you get from the Magic Box, and the wonderfully low value of real estate in Sunnydale, I think we'll be able to do that a lot sooner than we planned."

"Really?" Anya asked excitedly.

"Yep. Of course, if we moved somewhere else, probably not," Xander noted, smiling as Anya rolled her eyes.

"Fine, we'll stay. But you owe me a house, mister," Anya teased, smiling over at Xander. "Be careful tomorrow," she said, changing gears completely. Xander was in the second team, while Anya was in the third.

"You too," Xander said.

.....................................

"You think they're ready?" Faith asked. She was standing by the bedroom window, looking out, but not really seeing anything. Her eyes were unfocused, wild with the passion and intensity of the slayer. It was as if the primordial soul of the slayer living within her recognized that on the following day, she would be fighting one of the biggest battles of her life. That primordial soul couldn't wait to burst forth.

"I don't know," Buffy admitted truthfully. She walked up to Faith and wrapped her arms around her fiancée's waist, resting her chin on Faith's shoulder. "But it's not like I was ever really ready for any of the big bads I faced."

"True," Faith said, smiling back at her. "So, this could be our last night on earth," she said, her voice low and husky. Turning, she rested her forehead on Buffy's. "What do you wanna do?"

Buffy smiled mischievously. "Oh, I can think of a few things."

.............................

Kara paused in the doorway of Kennedy's hospital room, listening to the sounds of the machines hooked up to her girlfriend. The constant beeping was soothing. Sighing, she stepped into the room and lowered herself onto the chair at Kennedy's bedside. "I can only stay a few minutes," she said, taking Kennedy's hand in her own.

"I just want you to know, in case something happens...I love you. I love you so much and I know you want to be there with us tomorrow. But do me a favor," Kara said, pausing. "Don't wake up until it's over. I want this world to be a better place for you. And after tomorrow, it will be."

Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss onto Kennedy's forehead. "I'll see you real soon, I promise," she said rising to her feet. She threw her one last glance before walking back out of the door. There was somewhere she needed to be.


	61. The Final Battle

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Notes: The next chapter will be the last chapter, fair warning. For those of you desiring more Buffy/Faith mushiness, and you know who you are, you will hopefully have your fill in the next chapter. As this is supposed to be the big battle chapter, I don't know how much I'll be able to cram in. So thanks for the reviews, as ever, and feel free to continue heaping praise upon me. Sorry this chapter took a little longer to write than most, but as you can see, it's quite a bit longer than the others.

Previously:

"Thanks," Giles said, smiling back. "Now, everyone follow my advice and go get some rest. Buffy and Faith will lead the girls in a brief training session tomorrow, but after that, the rest of our energies must be devoted to gathering weapons and preparing for the battle."

...................

"I just want you to know, in case something happens...I love you. I love you so much and I know you want to be there with us tomorrow. But do me a favor," Kara said, pausing. "Don't wake up until it's over. I want this world to be a better place for you. And after tomorrow, it will be."

Chapter Sixty:

Kara watched as the sun faded from the sky. Beams of light shot out over the horizon in a spectacular display and Kara sucked in a breath, awed by the beauty of the sunset. She could feel tension rising from below, as she stood on the cliffs overlooking Sunnydale. The breeze wrapped itself around her and held her in its cold embrace, whipping through her hair. Tonight was a momentous occasion. Never before had an army of light gone against the very pit of blackness and despair. The slayers would be waging a war against the oldest evil in the world – the First evil.

The fight of good against evil had raged since the dawn of the world. But no one had faced the perpetuator of it all. Kara smiled slightly. When men waged war on each other, they would pray to their gods for favor in battle. Kara didn't need to pray for any favors. She knew the gods were on her side this time. Buffy and the others thought she would be returning to the Summers home at any moment. However, that was not her intent.

"They're wondering about you," a voice said from behind her. Kara turned and smiled at Veronica.

"I didn't know if you'd come. Though, I thought you couldn't come down here," Kara said thoughtfully.

Veronica smiled and chuckled a bit. "I'm not really here. I'm just a shadow flitting through the night."

"They think I've abandoned them," Kara stated, looking out over the town. The lights of the houses were twinkling in the quickening dark. Night was falling. Kara looked up into the sky and could see the faintest outline of stars.

"Yes, they do. Some of them anyway. Those closest to you know better," Veronica said. "Some have all the faith in the world in you."

"Like who?" Kara asked, looking over at Veronica.

"The answer might surprise you. But I imagine you'll find out before the end," Veronica said enigmatically. "It's almost time for you to begin. Did you bring it?"

"No, I came all this way and left it at the house," Kara said sarcastically. She slowly drew a ceremonial knife out of a sheath in her boot. "Of course I brought it." The knife glimmered in the light of the rising moon, the steel blade shining like a starburst. The handle was carved out of bone and blackened with age. A gold stripe ran up the handle and a crystal star was set at the center. An ancient language long forgot adorned the blade.

"It was forged by the first watcher, given to his slayer as a token of his love and trust. The knife was passed down from slayer to slayer until it was lost in time. We found it and kept it safe until the occasion it should be wielded again," Veronica said and smiled kindly. "We see no better person to wield it than the last of the line of slayers."

Kara nodded, admiring the knife. "It's beautiful."

"That it is. You know what to do," Veronica said, stepping away. "Kara...," she said, pausing. Kara turned to look at her. "I don't imagine we'll be seeing each other again. Fare thee well." With that, Veronica turned and walked away, fading into the night and the trees that lined the cliff side. Kara watched her go, wondering at the meaning behind her final words.

Sighing, Kara turned and looked back over the town. "Good luck," she whispered, wishing her companions hope for the battle to come.

.....................................

Buffy threw one last look back at her house before following after the others. She had insisted they wait until the last possible second for Kara, but Giles and Jack were keeping a strict schedule. Already, the others would be gathered at the high school – members of the Council, new slayers, members of the Coven. Jack estimated nearly a thousand people would be there to fight. But in the end, the First would have more.

"She'll be there," Faith said reassuringly, wrapping her arm around Buffy's waist. "She can take care of herself."

"I know. What if she doesn't come? What if the First got to her already?" Buffy asked, instantly imagining the worst.

"She's strong. You'd feel it if she was dead, B. You'd feel it in here," Faith said, pointing to her heart. "And I feel she's alive."

"What if she abandoned us?" Buffy asked, voicing the question she knew the others were thinking.

Faith sighed and looked away. "Then I would understand," she said. They walked on in silence, listening to Giles and Jack ruminating over final plans and strategies. They finally reached the high school, awed at the sight of so many people armed and ready to give their lives for the cause of good. But Kara was not among them.

"Listen," Giles said, sidling up beside Buffy and Faith. "In Kara's absence, someone else must lead the first team with you," he said addressing Buffy. "Jack and I feel that Faith should go with you."

"That's cool, G-man," Faith said. "But who's gonna go with Spike?"

"I will," Dawn said, suddenly volunteering.

"What?" Buffy and Spike both exclaimed together.

"I can do this," Dawn insisted. "Yeah, I'm afraid. But this is what we were all born for. Don't make me sit and watch," Dawn pleaded.

Buffy eyed her for a moment before a grim smile settled on her face. "Okay. But be careful," Buffy added, noticing as Spike shook his head angrily, but he kept his tongue. "You and Spike will lead the second team. Is everyone ready?"

"Yes, they're all waiting on you," Giles said. Buffy stepped forward, with Faith just behind her, and took her place at the head of the crowd.

"Alright, first team, second team...let's go!" She yelled and stepped forward, opening the front door of the high school. It was dark inside and she could feel the evil pouring off the place in waves. She shuddered slightly. Faith put her hand on Buffy's shoulder.

"I'm right behind you," she said, as they advanced into the building. It was deadly quiet. The sound of the group walking seemed to echo on the walls and Buffy cringed. They weren't going to be surprising anyone that was for sure.

Finally, they reached the basement door. "Okay, guys, this is where we split up. Second team, make sure no one gets out of this building," Buffy instructed. "We'll see you when it's over."

With that, she kicked open the basement door. The teams split apart, the second team wandering a bit back toward the entrance, taking up posts along the hallway. Xander, Spike, and Dawn stayed in front, closest to the basement door. When the last member of the first team had passed through it, they sat down on the hallway floor, gripping their weapons tightly in their hands.

"I probably should have mentioned this before," Dawn said suddenly. "But I've never used a sword before."

"That's okay, Bit," Spike said, nudging her shoulder with his. "You just swing it like a baseball bat. You're bound to hit something."

"Yeah, if I can do it, you can do it," Xander said, flashing her one of his infamous half smiles. "But here's to hoping we won't have to."

........................................

The third team remained outside of the building. It was mostly composed of members of the Coven, a few young slayers left behind to protect them, some Council doctors Willow, Tara, Anya, and Joyce. The Council had set up a hospital not far from the school, for those wounded after the battle. Buffy had been adamant that Joyce remain at home, but her mother insisted on coming. Though she knew she couldn't fight, Joyce wanted to be there when everyone else did. She wouldn't have felt right sitting at home waiting while everyone else was fighting and dying.

"It's gonna be okay," Anya said, sitting down next to Joyce on the grass. In front of them, the Coven, Willow, Tara, Giles, and Jack had gathered by the entrance of the high school. Anya could hear them chanting. According to Giles, they were to enact a barrier spell that would prevent any lucky demons from escaping into the town.

"I hope so," Joyce responded, looking rather sullen.

"She does this all the time, you know," Anya said. "Not the first apocalypse and all."

"I know," Joyce said, smiling over at Anya. "But the thing about apocalypses...one of them has to be the last."

Anya sighed, knowing the older woman was right. Eventually, their luck would run out and evil would win. It was bound to happen sooner or later. "At least we'll be safe out here," Anya said finally. "With the barrier spell and all."

"Yeah. Where do you think Kara is?" Joyce asked absently.

Anya thought back to the night she and Kara had talked about the final battle on Buffy's back steps. Kara had said she had a trick up her sleeve, something the First wouldn't be expecting. Anya smiled, knowing that whatever it was, it would ensure that they would all live to see another apocalypse someday. "Wherever she is, it's where she's supposed to be," Anya replied, looking up into the sky. A strange sensation fell over her and she turned, looking back at the cliffs that overlooked Sunnydale. She could feel immense power coming from them and it made her shiver.

Anya stood. "I'll be right back," she said, wandering away from Joyce. Once she was out of sight, she turned and looked back at the others. Then, she started running toward the cliffs.

.................................................

"Fall back!" Buffy yelled over the sounds of swords clanging and bodies falling. They were more than significantly outnumbered. They had started off well enough, charging down into the Hellmouth. They decimated the first line of demons the First sent at them, but the second proved to be more challenging. They weren't making any progress. In fact, the First's army was pushing them back the way they came. More than anything, they needed to regroup. Buffy was about to yell again when a sharp pain spread through her entire body.

Looking down, she saw the point of a sword piercing through her stomach. She faintly heard Faith yell as she fell to the rock floor. Faith saw Buffy fall and instantly began to charge through the crowd of demons and slayers amassed at the base of the Hellmouth. Breaking through, she wildly swung her sword and dispatched the demon that had stabbed her fiancée. Kneeling beside her, Faith scooped Buffy up into her arms. "Hold on," Faith said fiercely, her eyes glowing in the dark with the passion of a slayer in the heat of battle. "You're okay."

Buffy gritted her teeth at the pain, but she knew she had to keep fighting. "Get me up," she instructed as Faith pulled Buffy to her feet. Leaning down, the dark slayer picked up the Scythe and handed it back to Buffy. "I believe you dropped this," Faith joked, turning and decapitating a demon that was attempting to sneak up behind her. "You good to go?"

"Yeah, let me loose," Buffy said, tightening her grip on her weapon. "Nothing's gonna take me down."

...............................................

Kara briefly closed her eyes and pressed down, dragging the blade lengthwise across her arm. She gasped at the pain, but ignored it, continuing until blood was flowing from her elbow to her wrist. Then, she moved the blade over to her other arm and did the same. The blood flowed out and rained down onto the grass in little droplets. Kara could feel herself getting weaker as the blood flowed out of her. Falling to her knees, she slowly began chanting the words the Powers that Be had whispered in her ear when she went to the cave in Africa. It was an ancient language, the same as the one written on the blade itself.

It was an invocation spell. The earth began to tremble and shake. Kara swayed forward, but she steadied herself. A fine mist began to spread around her, pouring out of the wounds in her arms, running with the blood. The mist grew, shimmering in gold and blue, until it covered the entire cliff. Then, it began to rise and take form. Kara looked around, watching as the forms became figures and the figures became flesh. Finally, the mist subsided and standing before her was an army. Kara smiled and watched as a woman stepped forward.

She had a sword at her side and was dressed much like a knight. Walking up to Kara, the woman knelt in front of her and pressed her fingertips to Kara's forehead. She closed her eyes and after a few moments, opened them again. "We shall do as you ask," the woman said. Then, she stood and turned. She addressed the army assembled before her in a strange tongue that Kara couldn't understand, but her soul seemed to recognize. It was language of slayers. Before her stood every slayer that had ever lived and died since the first slayer was called. The Powers that Be had granted them this one gift, that they would get the chance to fight one last time. This was that time.

Suddenly, the army burst forth in a battle cry that shook the very trees themselves. It filled Kara's heart and she covered her ears to block out the sound. It was both terrible and beautiful. Then the army began to move, charging through the trees, toward the high school, toward the First. Kara closed her eyes and fell forward, catching herself with her hands. The world was spinning and she was woozy. Letting herself drop onto the grass, she smiled slightly as the cool leaves caressed her face. Then the world started to go black.

......................................

Anya paused when she heard an immense cry rip through the forest. She clung to the nearest tree and covered her ears. The sound seemed to pierce her very soul. When it stopped, she continued moving forward through the forest, toward the cliff. Suddenly, the forest started moving in front of her. She watched as an immense army charged passed her, either ignoring her or ignorant of her presence there. The army consisted of thousands of women. Anya watched them for a moment. They were all dressed differently. After a while, Anya realized that their dress reflected the time they had lived. Anya gasped when she realized that moving passed her was an army of slayers. Finally, the last slayer disappeared from sight and Anya pushed on.

She came to the clearing just before the cliff and stepped out into the night air. She could see Kara slumped over in front of her. Running forward, Anya knelt beside Kara and cradled her in her arms. "Hey, wake up," Anya said gently. She looked down at Kara's arms and saw the blood pouring out of her wounds. "Shit," she muttered. Kara's eyes fluttered open and after a few moments, focused on Anya's face.

"What are you doing here?" Kara asked, her voice slightly slurred.

"I had a feeling you'd need some help," Anya said. "Looks like I was right. Come on, the Council hospital isn't far from here," Anya said, pulling Kara to her feet. She looped her arm around Kara's waist and balanced her. It was slow moving, but they pushed on through the forest, stopping every once in a while when Kara felt faint.

"Thanks," Kara said, as they stopped beside a particularly large tree.

"For what?" Anya asked, nearly breathless from the exertion of trying to hold up Kara.

"For having faith in me."

.......................................

"See anything?" Xander asked, peering around the corner and glancing at the basement door. Thus far, no demons had escaped from below, but they could hear the sounds of the raging battle growing louder and louder.

"No," Spike whispered back, gripping his sword tightly. He felt that if something didn't happen soon, he would lose his nerve. Looking back at his motley band of warriors, he realized they were all feeling the same thing.

"Uh, guys?" Dawn said, directing their attention to the door. "Someone's coming out." Spike turned to see a horde of demons silently advancing through the door, anticipating an attack.

"Steady," Spike whispered loud enough for his men to hear. He had the distinct feeling that the element of surprise would be all they had going for them. "Steady," he whispered as the demons crept closer. Raising his sword, he watched out of the corner of his eye as all of the others did the same.

He could hear the demons snorting, their heavy feet clamoring on the floor. Rising to his feet from a crouching position, Spike looked back and nodded his head. Then he dashed forward, followed closely behind by Xander and Dawn. Together, they swung their swords and took out the first line of demons. The rest of the group followed quickly behind them and the battle began. Dawn quickly lost sight of Spike in the crowd. Demons were practically surrounding her, but she found at that moment that she felt no fear. Steeling herself, she closed her eyes and swung her sword with as much force as she could muster.

She felt the blade slice into something and opening her eyes, found a demon standing before her, staring down at her sword stuck through its chest. It looked up at her in disbelief and crumpled to the ground. Dawn smiled to herself, realizing, perhaps for the first time, that she wasn't just the slayer's sister; she was a warrior of light. Glancing around, she caught sight of Spike trapped in a corner, surrounded by three rather large demons. They were beating on him mercilessly.

Gripping her sword tightly, Dawn inhaled deeply and charged. The sword flashed before her and within moments, the demons fell to the ground in heaps. Spike looked up at her from the floor, blood covering half his face, and he smiled. "Looks like I'm not the one needing saving," Dawn said triumphantly as she grabbed Spike's hand and helped him to his feet.

"No, I wager not," Spike said, a bit in awe. "Do me a favor, yeah? Watch my back from now on," he said and smiled widely. Picking up his sword, he and Dawn turned to rejoin the battle when a roaring sound, like a speeding train, wailed through the hallway.

"What is that?" Dawn asked, fearing the worst. Spike simply shook his head, his eyes landing on the entrance of the school. Suddenly, the doors burst off their hinges and a woman stepped inside. "Who is that?" Dawn asked, watching in wonder.

"I don't know," Spike answered. The fighting around them stopped and everyone turned to watch as an army filed into the cramped hallway. "But I hope they're on our side," he quickly added, when he saw their numbers. The woman raised her sword and with a unified battle cry, the army charged forward. Spike grabbed Dawn and pulled her against his chest, backing against the wall as the mysterious army swept through, annihilating every demon in its path until they all disappeared through the basement door.

Once they were gone, the second team wandered through the hallway, gazing in wonder at the trail of corpses and splattered remains that were left behind. Nothing with so much as a trace of evil in its heart had survived. "Yeah, they were definitely on our side," Dawn muttered, gripping Spike's hand fiercely.

.............................................

"Why won't you just admit defeat? You're outnumbered and outmatched," the First said, as its men surrounded the remaining slayers, trapping them in a tight circle. The girls still brandished their swords, holding them high, prepared to fight until the end.

"We will never surrender to you," Buffy spat. Her back was aching from the stab wound and it took all of her strength just to remain standing. Faith had her hand on Buffy's back holding her steady. The rest of the girls were bloodied and broken, but only in body. Their spirits raged on and none were ready to give up hope.

"Fine. We'll just kill you all then," the First said and smiled. "It's been a pleasure."

"I have a feeling that the pleasure will be all mine," a voice boomed out over the din. Everyone in the room turned toward the voice, wondering at the army of women standing on the brink of the Hellmouth, arrayed with everything from medieval weapons, to sharpened sticks. "Or, shall I say, ours."

"Who are you?" The First asked, squinting slightly as it studied the woman's face.

The woman smiled suddenly and motioned out toward the army of past slayers standing around her. "We are light. We are the sun that rises over the darkness," she said and paused, her eyes dancing in the light. "And we're gonna kick your ass."

With those words, the army spilled forth over the brink of the Hellmouth and swept through the cavern. The nearly defeated slayers, with their spirits renewed at the sight of so many allies, took up their weapons and joined the fray once more. Before long, the army of the First lay tattered and ruined and the great spirit of evil was nowhere to be found. Buffy and Faith stood amongst the carnage and wreckage of the battle, seeing those who fought beside them lying in the rubble. Then, looking at the survivors, they smiled, knowing that they had indeed won possibly the greatest battle of their time.

"The Powers that Be have fulfilled their promise," the woman said, walking up to Buffy and Faith. "We can now rest. Please thank the one that brought us forth. She was the last of our line in her time," the woman said, smiling slightly. Then she turned, and as she did, she and all of the others warriors faded into a fine mist that spread throughout the cave and vanished.

Turning to Buffy, Faith wrapped her arm around the golden haired slayer's waist to support her and said, "Let's go home."

................................................

"How is she?" Anya asked one of the Council's doctors as he tended to Kara's wounds. Kara was lulling in and out of consciousness, dizzy from blood loss.

"She'll be alright. We've got transfusions going and she's a strong girl. She'll be on her feet before you know it," the doctor said, smiling warmly. He was a kindly old man and Anya instantly took a liking to him.

"Thank you," Anya said, as the doctor finished wrapping Kara's wounds and stood.

"I'll be in the other room if she needs anything," the doctor said, nodding slightly before walking out. Anya sighed and sat in a chair next to Kara's makeshift hospital bed. A beeping sound pulled her out of her thoughts and reaching into Kara's jacket pocket, Anya pulled out her cell phone. The Council had given them all phones several weeks ago courtesy of a suggestion Willow made that everyone should be connected in case of an emergency.

"Hello?" Anya said in to the phone, resting it against her ear.

"Hello, this is Doctor Samuels from Sunnydale General. Am I speaking to Kara Summers?"

"No, she's unavailable at the moment," Anya said, looking over at Kara's sleeping form. "But I can take a message."

"Yes, if you would, could you tell her that Kennedy woke up a half hour ago. She's been asking for her," the doctor said.

"Yes, thank you," Anya said, hanging up the phone. Smiling, she leaned down and brushed a strand of Kara's hair behind her ear. "Did you hear that? Kennedy's awake. Seems things are looking up after all."

Note: The next chapter will be the final chapter. Look for the sequel: Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow II: The Rising Sun, which shall be up shortly thereafter.


	62. Epilogue

Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow

Note: Well, this is it. Thanks to all my loyal readers. This was the first fanfic that I ever wrote, so it was nice to see that so many people enjoyed it. Please look for the sequel Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow II: The Rising Sun, which will be up shortly, hopefully by the weekend.

Previously:

Buffy and Faith stood amongst the carnage and wreckage of the battle, seeing those who fought beside them lying in the rubble. Then, looking at the survivors, they smiled, knowing that they had indeed won possibly the greatest battle of their time. Turning to Buffy, Faith wrapped her arm around the golden haired slayer's waist to support her and said, "Let's go home."

Epilogue:

It had been nearly four months since the battle against the First Evil. Though the slayers had been busy with the usual vampires and demons that inhabited Sunnydale, it was a relatively peaceful and quiet time. However, as Buffy stood looking at herself in her bedroom mirror, she felt a knot of apprehension forming in her stomach. She thought of all the battles she had fought in her life and realized that she had never been as anxious before any of them as she was now.

"You look beautiful," Giles said, knocking on the door and entering. "You also look paler than death," he said amusedly.

"I'm just a little nervous," Buffy replied, turning to flash him a smile before gazing into the mirror again. "That's normal right?"

"Absolutely. This _is_ the rest of your life, after all. It's only natural to feel a bit apprehensive about the decision. But, Buffy," Giles said, pausing beside her and smiling warmly down at her, "it's the right decision."

Buffy smiled brilliantly and nodded her head. "Yeah, I know it is. I can feel it, in here, where it matters," Buffy said, putting her hand over her heart. "Everything ready?"

"We're all waiting on you," Giles said, offering her his arm. Buffy graciously accepted it and he led her out of the room. As their feet hit the bottom stair, music began playing. Turning they walked toward the backdoor. Looking up, Buffy could see all of her friends and family, at least the ones who really mattered, gathered in her backyard. Faith was standing on a makeshift alter Xander had built, with one of the Coven members next to her, ready to administer the ceremony.

"Deep breath," Giles said, as two Council members opened the door for them. Stepping out onto the grass, Buffy felt her eyes welling up with tears.

"She looks beautiful," Buffy whispered, her eyes locked on Faith's.

"Yes, she does," Giles replied, blinking away his own tears. He had always thought of Buffy as a daughter, and now, leading her down the "aisle" at her wedding, he realized that she was. He was incredibly proud to be able to share the moment with her, to watch her grow up into the woman she was meant to become. Though Faith hadn't always been a friend to everyone, Giles knew that she and Buffy were meant to be together. They fit like the yin to the yang, light to dark.

When they reached the alter, Buffy stepped forward and took her place next to Faith. "Hey," Faith whispered, smiling over at her. "You ready?"

"Never been more ready in my life," Buffy answered, noticing that Faith's eyes were sparkling in the sunshine. She chuckled to herself, knowing that Faith was doing everything in her power to keep from crying.

Kara stood next to Faith and Willow stood next to Buffy, with the rest of the Scoobies seated in the first row of chairs they had set up. The ceremony began and as Faith slipped the ring on Buffy's finger, she spoke her vows. "B...Buffy," Faith said, stumbling over her words a bit. "You've always been my light in the dark. There were so many times when I doubted myself. But every time you pulled me back. I wouldn't be who I am today without you. I love you so much and no matter what happens, I will always stand by your side," Faith finished, her voice shaking slightly at the end.

Buffy paused for a moment, collecting herself, before beginning. "I don't know that any words of mine could express to you how I feel about you. You're my rock, my foundation. Without you, I would collapse. We've been through a lot together and every single moment I cherish because I spent it with you. I love you with everything that I am and I always will."

"You may kiss your partner," the Coven mistress said after pronouncing their union. Faith captured Buffy's lips with her own, sealing their union with a searing kiss. When they broke apart, everyone began to clap.

"Time to party," Xander said, as Buffy and Faith walked down the aisle together to the limo waiting in the front of the house. They had rented out the Bronze for the reception.

Anya laughed to herself before responding, "Yes, because watching you get drunk and dance like a crazed sea man is always entertaining."

.................................

Kara and Kennedy stood the pool tables, watching Faith and Buffy dance their first dance as a married couple. "I'm really glad I got to see this," Kara said, watching her parents with a broad smile on her face.

"So I have a question," Kennedy said, with a slightly confused expression on her face. "What happens if they decide they want to have a kid? It won't be you will it? I mean, that would be kinda weird. That wouldn't make me a pedophile, would it?"

"No, not unless you actually had sex with the little version of me," Kara said, laughing into her drink.

"It's not funny, it's a serious question," Kennedy argued back.

"Okay, when you look at little children, does it make you excited in that way?" Kara asked, holding back laughter at the horrified look on Kennedy's face.

"No way in hell," Kennedy instantly replied.

"Then you're safe."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Is there something you want to tell me, Ken, 'cuz you seem awfully hung up on this pedophile thing," Kara mocked.

"Oh, for Gods sake, never mind," Kennedy grumbled.

"No, really, if there's anything you want to tell me, please do. I want us to have an open and honest relationship," Kara continued sarcastically.

"No, I'm good. Forget about it," Kennedy replied.

"Okay. But if you ever feel those urges...hey, where are you going?" Kara asked, watching Kennedy stalk off, heading toward the bar. Chuckling to herself, she walked over to the door and stepped outside to get some air.

Breathing in deeply, she looked up at the sun. A black cloud moved over the sky and blocked the light for a split second, before the sun popped back out again. But in that moment, Kara felt a cold sink into her bones that she had never known. "Hey, you coming back in?" Kennedy asked, popping her head out of the door.

Kara looked over at her and smiled. "Yeah, I'll be right in." Throwing one last look out at the sky, Kara turned and walked back into the Bronze, disappearing from view.

The End.


End file.
